When the company needs a makover

It takes a lot for any company to undergo a major facelift. It could be that the products aren’t moving, the technology has become out dated, there’s a change in leadership, or any number of reasons. No matter what the motivation is odds are it’s been a long and thought out process especially if the company goes so far as to redo the logo, products, or process. It takes even longer to change the preconceived notions in the consumer’s mind.

I worked for a photography company (I bet I don’t have to tell you which one) who had a very distinct image in the 90’s of big hair, caked on makeup and feather boas. This worked great as a new concept of high fashion photography accessible to everyone. A large population of young women were already spending most of their free time in the mall, now they could pop in for a few hours and have photos taken that made them look like a movie star. Everyone was doing it and everyone wanted them done. Older women flocked to the soft focus lens and the heavy make-up coverage that made them look years if not decades younger in the days before Photoshop.

By the time I started working there in November of 2000 everyone thought they knew what the company was all about and they were pretty sure it was passé. The company realized the old concept was out and a new one was needed if they wanted to stay in business. They changed the company logo from a script font to a san serif. They started shooting midrange as well as bust shots and added scenic photorealistic backgrounds. It worked for a while but customers still came in expecting to be wrapped in furs and their hair shellacked high enough to be a danger to a ceiling fan.

The corporate office and store owners realized they needed to do more. So they switched all of their studios to digital cameras, started shooting full body poses, stopped shooting with a soft focus lens and concentrated sales on digital upgrades like retouching and colorization. Once again they brought the star treatment to the malls of the world. Customers remembered how fun it was to be pampered and made to look like a million bucks and started to change their minds about the studio being associated with big bangs and gaudy jewelry.

Now with the onslaught of digital photography and easily available photo editing programs the company is changing to meet the times yet again. Not only are they shooting in the studio but on location and at events as well. They offer premium print products that will last for generations, and make a point to teach beauty techniques instead of just applying them. Like the artists in Hollywood they have upgraded to airbrushed make-up, higher resolution equipment, and a greater variety in composition and products.

They’ve come a long way and will continue to grow but it seems there will always be customers that will chuckle when an employee says “We’re not like this anymore” and pretends to pop their collar.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer, business owner, and work-from-home mom.