Guitar adverts...

poopot

Right...

one image... just one image... to get you interested in thinking about buying a guitar!...

what do you want to see in that picture (besides the guitar obvs)?

guitar on its own?
guitar with known guitarist? 

Guitar on mountain top?

Etc etc etc

what image would make you say 

“I want to try that”

The brand of guitar/type of guitar is irrelevant... as is the technical implementation of the photo... 

just the one image that would make you jump in the car to the guitar shop!!!!!

What?

Sassafras

A scantily clad slut draped over it.

poopot

Sassafras said:

A scantily clad slut draped over it.

What you gonna wear for the shoot?

RevMatt

Sassafras said:

A scantily clad slut draped over it.

That was Washburn's technique in the 90s!

grappagreen

My view is the highest quality photo of the instrument (only) you can muster...

As I've recently proved to myself (sold 7 guitars in three weeks) this is a big enabler..

Something like this..  I'm no photographer but nice depth of field, thought about composition etc.. just makes stuff stand out..

Take a look here for examples;

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/205176/all-gone-terry-morgan-tom-anderson-drop-top-prs-sas-25th-yamaha-pac-904#latest

poopot

Not talking about a classified ad...

thinking more along the lines of a campaign for a big brand...

nice pics btw!.

Roland

A picture of the whole guitar, in focus so that I can see the details. Anything more says (to me) that someone is spending money on models/locations, and there’s only one person pays for this, or that they don’t think the guitar will sell on its own. These are the same criteria that I would apply to a lawnmower, bandsaw, or any other tool. Of course, if bought guitars as fashion statements or to look good under spotlights, then my criteria would be different.

dazzajl

Roland said:

A picture of the whole guitar, in focus so that I can see the details. Anything more says (to me) that someone is spending money on models/locations, and there’s only one person pays for this, or that they don’t think the guitar will sell on its own. These are the same criteria that I would apply to a lawnmower, bandsaw, or any other tool. Of course, if bought guitars as fashion statements or to look good under spotlights, then my criteria would be different.

And for balance I’m going to say the total opposite. I’m more likely to respond to an image that aligns with my personal creative spark. If I’m drawn to the image on a purely artistic level, it will create a feeling for me that I might bond with the guitar on that same artistic level. 

Choosing the target is obviously the really tough bit. 

grappagreen

dazzajl said:

Roland said:

A picture of the whole guitar, in focus so that I can see the details. Anything more says (to me) that someone is spending money on models/locations, and there’s only one person pays for this, or that they don’t think the guitar will sell on its own. These are the same criteria that I would apply to a lawnmower, bandsaw, or any other tool. Of course, if bought guitars as fashion statements or to look good under spotlights, then my criteria would be different.

And for balance I’m going to say the total opposite. I’m more likely to respond to an image that aligns with my personal creative spark. If I’m drawn to the image on a purely artistic level, it will create a feeling for me that I might bond with the guitar on that same artistic level. 

Choosing the target is obviously the really tough bit. 

@poopot - my bad - misunderstood..

I agree with the above comment.. an artistic vibe that emotively connects with the target market.. if I was trying to promote a vintage style amp (as an example) maybe with a guitar that connects with the same target market in an associated context...

Philly_Q

poopot said:

just the one image that would make you jump in the car to the guitar shop!!!!!

It would be a slow process, I'd have to have driving lessons, arrange a test, pass it, buy or rent a car....

Philly_Q

Your opening post immediately makes me think of magazine adverts, which I'm not sure anyone would take much notice of any more... but when I got into guitars in the 1980s I loved all the ads in the magazines, I remember them as much as the articles.  And then it would have been all about a great picture, either of the guitar on its own, or with a semi well known player, or perhaps with a model.  Plus a blurb at the side saying why the guitar was the best thing ever.  And maybe some fairly meaningless catchphrase, like "Catch the Tiger" on the old Ibanez AR-300 adverts.



But nowadays, when it's much more likely to just be on the internet... a really good photo, to catch the attention.  But that in itself isn't enough, you then need to be able to drill down to more photos, detailed specs etc.  And the guitar in the pictures must be the actual one they are selling.

Fifty9

https://images.app.goo.gl/4mR3eUph3NeoYMyS7

JerkMoans

A picture of Joe Bonamassa. With his shades on  

Sassafras

The only adverts I remember from magazines are those Blues Saraceno ones with his tartan guitar.
Maybe tartan's the way forward.

LastMantra

I don't really care what's behind the guitar in fact I often don't really notice. 

Might even put me off depending on what it is.

guitars4you

Sassafras said:

The only adverts I remember from magazines are those Blues Saraceno ones with his tartan guitar.
Maybe tartan's the way forward.

2

2 well known adverts from the 70's and 80's 

RevMatt

JerkMoans said:

A picture of Joe Bonamassa. With his shades on  

...would ensure that I don't buy the guitar  

Funkfingers

The subtext of most magazine advertisements was the equivalent of present day Internet selling à la Amazon. i.e. People like you buy a guitar like this.

There is an aspirational aspect to guitar ownership. The advertisers play up to that. Flattery fools enough of us to boost sales of mediocre mid-price products.

Redlester

A money off coupon- the kind of thing with dotted lines around it with an image of a pair of scissors. 

Add a large finger/ hand with shirt-cuff image pointing to it. 

Bennyboy-UK

Super nice photo of guitar is a winner - hopefully some words about it that aren't complete bollocks - maybe a picture of a guitar player I like - that kind of stuff

This is the one that did it for me way back when:

 

Snags

The things that would grab my attention in an image (discarding irrelevant marketing tricks like attractive totty, which sadly does still work even at my addled and cynical age) would be a really good, large shot of the body, or 3/4 of the body etc. Assuming that the finish/colour has some impact of its own.

A full guitar image has too much dead space, unless there's something aboslutely arresting about the neck or headstock. So as a purely visual thing, big chunk of body with interesting finish will make me want to go find out more.

Or attractive women (speaking personally; other preferences are available). Or a large, spectacularly offensive swear word.

ETA: body shot (guitar's) at interesting angle or cropping, too - not just, er, full frontal.