Kumi Shimamoto is presenting a session at ADFEST tomorrow that’s all about the shifting societal trends that have defined three visual trends of 2018.

 
Kumi is Vice President, Japan and South-East Asia, at Getty Images, and she’s presenting alongside Ravinunt Nena Putthibavornkul, Country Manager of Getty Images in Thailand.

 
What type of images are most popular and powerful today?
 
Getty Images’ past predictions have pre-empted many different visual movements across gender, social consciousness, design, technology, travel and more. In 2013, Getty Images predicted that beauty ideals were expanding, and that images of women and girls that are authentic, strong, and comfortable in their own skin were resonating with people around the world.

 
The ‘Female Rising’ trend of 2013, which highlighted the need for trailblazing images of women and stereotype-defying girls, in turn launched our ‘Lean In’ collection that created a space for brands and creatives to find images that expanded the visual representation of women, girls – and also men.

 
How do you keep track of visual trends?
 
Our methodology has evolved as more advanced research tools became available and our search data becomes more comprehensive. Our expert Creative team analyzed over 1 billion searches and 400 million imagery downloads on Gettyimages.com, studied advertising trends, and examined pop culture shifts to predict these three defining visual trends of 2018. We’ll reveal more about each trend during this session.

 
What will people learn from your session at ADFEST tomorrow?
 
As the world continues to change around us, so does everything in it, including the visuals we consume. People are no longer responding to fake images that represent one-dimensional notions. They want positive, culturally rich images that accurately represent the world of today.

 
What does this mean for brands?
 
Imagery has been crucial to brands engaging with this sense of change. When there is a backlash against campaigns, it is against work that feels contrived, that doesn’t feel authentic – currently the ultimate measure of value in our social and cultural media. When imagery is everywhere it’s sometimes easy to forget how pictures can really move us emotionally and psychologically; how they can expand the limits of our world. This session will delve into how brands should be thinking about imagery to engage with consumers.

 
How does Getty help to portray a more diverse and inclusive world?
 
The lack of diversity in advertising was recently highlighted by research from Lloyd’s Banking Group. They found that minority groups featured in less than 20% of brands’ campaigns, despite forming an important and significant role in today’s society. It’s a startling statistic and demonstrates the fact that despite the growing diversity dialog, there remains an enormous need for change.
 
It also begs the question – would more representative imagery not engage a larger audience and ultimately lead to more profitable outcomes? At Getty Images, we recognize the role we can play. We believe that diversity is important both in the frame and behind the lens. Images are always influenced by those who envision them in the first place, which is why we are committed to working with and supporting a diverse body of photographers and video creators. Thanks to them, our content offering is more truthful, more beautiful, and more fully representative of our families, our friends, and the global neighborhood we share.

 
·   ‘Visual Trends & Shifting Societal Perception’ takes place on Day 1 of ADFEST 2018 at 11:30am.