If you’ve ever wondered whether stock photography can really look and feel like your brand, we have a little something to show you.
Meet Gemma Bonham-Carter, a longtime Haute Stock member (and self-proclaimed #superfan), whose recent Black Friday campaign is a perfect example of what happens when great imagery meets a great creative vision.
For her Black Friday in a Box offer, Gemma created a complete visual experience using imagery from our Pastel Money, Pastel Workspace, Solopreneur, Through the Lens, and The Agency collections.
The result? A playful, confident campaign with a distinctive lavender-and-yellow color palette, editorial photography, bold typography, and plenty of personality.
And here’s our favorite detail: some of the imagery didn’t even start out in her brand colors.
Let’s take a closer look.
First, let’s talk about the creative direction.
Black Friday campaigns have a bit of a reputation.
There’s a lot of black. A lot of red. A lot of countdown timers, dramatic discounts, and graphics practically shouting at you to BUY NOW.
Gemma went in a different direction.
Her campaign uses soft lavender, buttery yellow, oversized serif typography, playful shapes, and lifestyle imagery that feels more like a creative entrepreneur’s world than a traditional holiday sale.
And yet, it still feels like Black Friday.
There’s urgency, personality and a clear offer. And there’s a cohesive visual identity that carries throughout the page.
It’s a good reminder that you don’t have to abandon your brand identity just because you’re running a promotion.
In fact, making your campaign recognizable as yours can be one of the smartest creative decisions you make.
Six collections. One cohesive campaign.
One thing we love about Gemma’s campaign is that she didn’t limit herself to a single Haute Stock collection.
She pulled imagery from different collections, selecting photos that supported different parts of her sales page.
Pastel Money & Pastel Workspace brought the colorful, entrepreneurial energy. Think laptops, mood boards, creative planning sessions, and those behind-the-scenes moments of running a business.
Solopreneur & Vibrant contributed relatable, personality-filled lifestyle imagery that helped make the campaign feel human.
Through the Lens added an editorial perspective, bringing visual variety and a more curated, creative feel to the page.
And The Agency brought in images of women working, collaborating, and creating—the perfect backdrop for a campaign about helping business owners sell their expertise.
The clever little detail? She made the imagery match her brand.
Here’s where things get interesting. Gemma didn’t let the original colors of every photograph dictate her campaign palette.
Instead, she adapted the color of select images to better suit her lavender-and-yellow visual identity. And that opens up so many more creative possibilities.
Maybe you find the perfect photo, but the blazer is the wrong color. Or the composition is exactly what you need for a website hero, but one prominent object doesn’t work with your palette.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to keep searching.
With tools like our AI Recolor Tool, Haute Stock members can change the colors of select objects in images while preserving the photographic look.
We love this approach because the goal isn’t to make every image identical. It’s to give each image enough visual connection to feel like it belongs in the same campaign.
In Gemma’s case, the recurring lavender, yellow, and neutral tones help tie together images from multiple collections, even when the subjects and compositions change.
How do you make stock photos look like your brand?
The secret isn’t finding photos that already match your brand perfectly. It’s knowing how to make the right images your own.
Here’s what that can look like:
- Start with the feeling, not just the colors. Choose photography that reflects your brand’s personality, audience, and message.
- Customize the colors. Recolor clothing, accessories, or other elements to bring images closer to your brand palette.
- Mix and match collections. Look for images that complement each other, even if they weren’t photographed together.
- Get creative with your layouts. Cropping, typography, graphic elements, and image placement can completely change how a photograph feels.
- Keep the creative direction consistent. Your colors, fonts, messaging, and overall aesthetic are what make everything feel connected.
Gemma’s Black Friday campaign is a perfect example. She used imagery from different Haute Stock collections, made select color adjustments, and brought everything together through distinctive creative decisions.
The result feels like her brand, not a collection of stock photos.
The imagery isn’t just there to look pretty.
Here’s something else worth noticing when you scroll through Gemma’s campaign. She uses imagery differently depending on what each section needs to communicate.
The opening features a bold, colorful video that immediately feels immersive and sets the mood. Further down the sales page, lifestyle portraits break up longer sections of copy and bring a human element into the page.
Desk scenes, devices, and creative workspaces reinforce the world of the business owner she’s speaking to. And darker image overlays provide contrast for some of the bigger, more dramatic campaign statements.
There’s a balance between the visually interesting moments and the sections where the offer needs to take center stage.
The photography adds personality without having to do all the heavy lifting. It’s working alongside the messaging, layout, and overall campaign concept.
That’s what we mean when we say your visuals are part of the sale.
Good stock photography should give you more creative freedom, not less.
We could talk all day about how we curate the Haute Stock library, but it’s even better when members tell us what that means for their own creative process.
As Gemma shared:
“I’ve been a long time subscriber to Haute Stock (like maybe since the beginning? #superfan). Not only are the images and videos gorgeous, but the range and diversity is outstanding.”
That last part is particularly important. Because when you’re creating a brand or campaign, you’re rarely looking for just one beautiful image.
You might need a bold hero image, something with negative space for typography, a portrait that makes an educational section more relatable, and a workspace scene that supports a particular message.
And ideally, you want all of those things to work together.
Gemma put it perfectly:
“I can always find what I’m looking for, no matter what kind of campaign style or visual I’m going for.”
That’s exactly the kind of creative flexibility we want Haute Stock to provide.
Our favorite takeaway from Gemma’s campaign
You don’t need to find one perfectly matching collection and use every image from it.
You can mix collections. Change colors. Crop creatively. Layer in typography. Introduce graphic elements. Build a campaign with a personality that’s completely different from the original photoshoot.
The creative direction is what brings everything together.
And with a versatile collection of photographs to work from, you can spend less time searching for exactly the right image and more time creating something worth paying attention to.
Gemma also had this to say:
“The Canva templates are also such a good cherry on top! If you want elevated, curated visuals for your brand, Haute Stock is your answer. Highly recommend.”
Thanks for bringing us along for the creative process, Gemma. We’re so happy to have you as a longtime Hautie!
Ready to create your own brand world?
Whether you’re building a website, launching a new offer, or dreaming up your next big campaign, Haute Stock gives you the photography, video, templates, and creative flexibility to bring your ideas to life.
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Featured member: Gemma Bonham-Carter — Black Friday in a Box.
