For some time now, I’ve had the chance to work with a really great company based here in Memphis called, LensRentals.com. They’re pretty well known in the photography world. LensRentals is an online company that allows photographers to simply rent any of the lenses, cameras, equipment, or accessories, that they offer. It’s a super convenient way to try out a lens before you buy, or just get that specific item you only need for a few days, without having to drop hundreds or thousands for it. If you’re into photography, give them a try. They have a really awesome team and they’re always a pleasure to work with.
Being an focused as an online company, they rely heavily on web advertising to drive traffic and sales on their website. A lot of this includes banner ads. This is where I came in. LensRentals already had a strong brand in place. That wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. But they wanted their ads to be a little more unique and eye-catching, while not straying from the brand at all.
Yes, it’s true. We’re often annoyed by banner ads, but the fact is, we do click the ones that catch our eye, or happen to offer something we’ve been looking for. If done well, they can be quite effective.
First of order of business was coming up with a copy line. We wanted something simple and short, something that could be read even at a glance. Yet at the same time, it needed to communicate exactly what LensRentals has to offer. It’s a great service. But how do we show that in a small space? After bouncing a few ideas back and forth, we decided on “Take Your Pic.” I removed the “k” at the end of “pick” in this expression to alter it’s meaning to “photo.” LensRentals fell in love with it immediately. It was perfect. It communicates the wide range of choices photographers can “pick” from. The phrase also empowers photographers, encouraging them to “Take that awesome photo!,” and that LensRentals gives them the means to do so. The artwork helped further cement this idea, illustrating the idea of all the choices available. The ads have been used to promote LensRentals.com on prominent photography sites, including: CanonRumors.com, FStoppers.com, StevenHuffPhoto.com, PetaPixel.com, FredMiranda.com, and of course on many others through Google. We’ve even adapted the concept for few other items, included promotional post cards and a backdrop for trade shows.
Several versions of the banner ad art created and implemented for LensRentals.com
Front and Reverse of some promotional cards used by LensRentals at a few events.
Same artwork adapted for a trade show booth.
This one isn’t really tied to the others above, but I thought I’d include it. It was a promotion for a contest giving away a new Apple laptop.