10 cliché photos people are tired of seeing in advertising

= This post is sponsored by Depositphotos =

You may have noticed lately a lot of generic images used to illustrate articles and broad posts. When, for example, someone writes about creativity, social media, and the Internet, the reference image as an illustration is usually hands on a laptop. But of course you know other image bank clichés, like, for example, the hooded hacker who, according to the ads, has come to steal your data and your soul. Not to mention women with heavy bags posing happily for the camera and looking a little too happy to bond with anyone.

The thing is, images of this type are used so often that people have grown tired of them, especially since they are present in almost every advertisement and story.

If you are also tired of this kind of situation, why not play a little? THE Depositphotosa library of millions of authentic stock footage files, has curated a list of the top ten cliché photos in an effort to make irritability a little more fun.

This photographic cliché is truly legendary. Recall how many times you’ve seen ads featuring cheerful seniors being used to target an older audience. Perhaps too much to count.

The elderly are always shown in these images as being so healthy, vigorous and happy that they cannot contain their smiles. Not that old people aren’t cheerful. But between us, this kind of image hardly reflects all the elderly. Honestly, not even people in their 20s or 30s are that happy.

The problem with this image is that it feeds a very specific stereotype. We are usually left with this cheesy, clichéd photo of a mysterious man in a dark environment, surrounded by codes we don’t understand. This cliché has been fueled by depictions of hackers not only in posts and ads, but also in movies and TV shows.

What’s even funnier: the hooded image resembles a thief or a dementor from Harry Potter who stole your gems or your soul, but not a hacker who sits silently at your desk to crack some code.

Do you work in networks connected with other people? How does this occur? Manually grouped into glowing networks that “float in the air” or drawing imaginary connections that, like magic, become visible? Some photos suggest this.

Real-life networking often takes place while people are having lunch, partying, or chatting over a coffee break. So why is the Internet awash with this kind of fictional concept? Probably because many choose a kind of conceptual path to illustrate broad topics.

Let’s make it clear from the start: Bosses don’t always yell at their employees.

This type of image is an outdated cliché, created based on more stereotypes. And of course it’s not universal, as some bosses are friendly and helpful and almost always have communication skills that go far beyond just going around yelling at subordinates. The only situation in which most people have contact with this type of image is when colleagues want to have a good laugh.

You’ve probably come across this kind of image of a woman laughing alone over a salad. And ever wondered what kind of joke or funny thing the salad told her.

The image description usually states that the woman is on a diet. So the following question comes to mind: what kind of diet makes you laugh so hard?

Why, then, is this type of image still used to illustrate advertisements if it has nothing to do with a healthy lifestyle? Forget that cliché; send it to the recycle bin.

In the early 2000s, this kind of abstract 3D element was often used to illustrate websites and blogs. It was an easy solution for describing complicated concepts just at a time when 3D was gaining momentum.

Today, these abstract elements are seen as “kind of gooey”, but for some reason, we still see them in ads and on the web.

Let’s face it, it’s not so often that after hours of shopping and carrying a lot of heavy bags, women look so cheerful. Their hands hurt, they feel dizzy and tired from walking for miles in a shopping mall. Let’s face it: they just want a cup of coffee and something delicious to eat.

Hands with a laptop have been an essential visual for many years to illustrate everything about technology, social media and all kinds of creative work. If a brand was representing a designer, an artist, a programmer, or an office worker, that image was the most used.

It’s just been so used for all these purposes that it quickly became outdated. You can verify that this type of image is no longer relevant by simply posting it on Instagram. If I posted them today, I probably wouldn’t get the hundreds or thousands of likes that I would have a few years ago. In short, the image communicates close to zero information.

This cliché stock photo is a favorite among many. It describes a mythical claim that you always choose between good and evil.

The problem is that these images are too literal. In short, the popularity of this type of poorly Photoshopped photo has gained traction in image banks due to the many online media covering topics that are difficult to explain in a single photograph. To illustrate the difficult choice between a healthy meal and junk like fast foodusing something more literal turns out to be an easy choice.

For some reason, almost every type of advertisement for goods, products and services must present the concept of a big happy family to make these advertisements more attractive. Probably, this cliché arose from the tradition of classic family pictures. So the next time you see such images, don’t be angry and remember how your family members ask you to “look at the camera and smile!”

Of course, it would be great if we put a little more effort into choosing images to illustrate text and advertisements and adopting creative and unusual ways to illustrate similar topics. But for now, let’s just enjoy these fun clichés, laugh at them, and hope that one day the ads aren’t simplified with any of those classic photo clichés.