Creative

From large photographs that anchor your homepage to small product shots on site pages, photography is a crucial element to the online success of a brand. Product photography not only tells the story of your brand, it sells it. How do you create beautiful images that speak to consumers? Here are three best practices for using photography to boost your sales:

Forever 21 is using holograms in place of live models in a series of fashion shows this summer and fall. During the shows, holographic models wearing designs from Forever 21’s new line walk the runway, disappear into starbursts and climb invisible staircases that light up underfoot. The fashion retailer conceived the promotion with digital agency space150.

L'Oreal has commissioned Demand Media to produce several hundred short-form videos as part as an elaborate new partnership between the two companies. The original L'Oreal-branded videos will start this June and will be distributed throughout 2011.

Levi's has named Walker MacWilliam as its new global head of men's design. MacWilliam will be responsible for the design and development of all Levi's men's product categories globally. MacWilliam joins Levi Strauss & Co. from Coach, where his responsibilities included the conceptualization, design and development for all categories of men's and women's including wearables, bags and accessories.

You have an idea. "It’s a whopper," you say to yourself. It's the kind that will change your business forever. It’s the type of marketing idea that you’re sure will cause light to fall from the heavens and angelic voices to chime in unison at the very thought of the awesomeness of the concept. You know it’s a monster idea because you’ve never seen or heard anything like it, and everyone knows originality is the hallmark of a monster idea. And they’re not wrong.

J.C. Penney said it will introduce a new logo, designed to symbolize the retailer’s transformation to a more updated and relevant destination. The new logo will debut with the retailer’s spring marketing campaign as the exclusive retail sponsor of the Academy Awards on Feb. 27.

Catalog and web product descriptions can pull consumers in and make them beg for more, or they can be boring and leave consumers unsatisfied or even suspect of the product. To keep consumers reading, begin your copy with a compelling opening statement that moves them to the next sentence and on to the next one until they're completely engaged in the description. Miss a link somewhere and you lose your audience.

Understand Web users -- Drive customers to your Website -- Show results. It57;s the name of the game! With this responsibility also comes increasing pressure to prove the effectiveness of your online strategies.

Ethan Allen's strategy to reposition itself with younger consumers. Americans in their 40s, 50s and 60s currently make up the brand’s core demographic. But Ethan Allen, which also offers interior design services, is looking to connect with consumers in their 30s and 40s who also have some discretionary income to spend.

Digital signage can be an effective means of attracting and engaging consumers. Can be, that is. For digital signage to work, above all, it must leave a memorable impression.