StudioNow Blog

2026 Paid Creative Cheat Sheet: How to Get More From Every Shoot

StudioNow Team — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 22:11:40 GMT

Every brand and creative team is staring down the same problem: more channels, more formats, and more pressure to “make it perform” without another dozen people on the team. But nobody needs one more trend recap. This article is a practical guide to planning shoots and assets so your creative mix actually works across channels and paid placements.

StudioNow is the team on set with brand and creative leads, then in the edit bay with platform specs and performance feedback staring us in the face. We slot in alongside your media and measurement team, making sure they have a flexible asset toolkit to work with. This guide pulls from analyst reports, platform resources, measurement experts, and what we’ve seen across hundreds of briefs and shoots this year. Think of it as a briefing you can pass to your team before the next quarter’s planning meeting.

Crafting Authentic Connections: Lessons from Harlequin's Social Media

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:38:02 GMT

Having an engaging and successful social media strategy isn’t just about pretty pictures and flashy products on Instagram; it's about forging a genuine connection with your audience while staying true to your brand's values. This isn’t an easy feat, but don't worry, we've got a perfect example to inspire you!

How to Communicate and Collaborate on Brand Projects without a Style Guide

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 15:26:29 GMT

No style guide? No problem! In this article, we'll show you how to communicate and collaborate effectively on brand projects. We'll dive into understanding your brand identity, defining clear objectives, conveying brand aesthetics and tone, and fostering collaboration. With these strategies, you'll bring your brand's vision to life, no matter if you're working with internal teams or external agencies. Get ready to navigate brand projects without a style guide and achieve outcomes that captivate your audience and stay true to your brand's values.

How Custom Photo Libraries Can Help Your Brand Stand Out

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:05:02 GMT

Stock photos may be convenient, but they often fall short in capturing a brand's unique vision and message. That's why more and more brands are turning to custom photo libraries to showcase their products, services, and people. In this blog post, we'll explore why custom photo libraries are important for brands, and how they can help you create more effective marketing campaigns.

Photo Licensing and Image Usage Guide for Brands

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 15:52:31 GMT

Images are a vital component of any brand's marketing strategy. They have the power to convey messages, evoke emotions, and influence consumer decisions. However, it's crucial to understand the importance of proper licensing and permission to avoid legal and financial consequences. In this short guide, we'll explore the basics of photo licensing and image usage for brands, ensuring you're equipped with the knowledge to make informed choices.

StudioNow Acquires Bad Moon Talent

lholstein@studionow.com (Lizelle Holstein) — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 13:18:53 GMT

StudioNow’s acquisition of Bad Moon Talent serves as a stepping stone to enter the rapidly growing influencer market. This move will merge StudioNow’s extensive production network of creators with on-camera talent and influencers. Consequently, big brands, media organizations, agencies, and businesses of all sizes will have a single point of access to production resources, social and streaming capabilities, and on-camera talent with highly engaged audiences.

4 March Madness Marketing Campaigns To Inspire You

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:51:05 GMT

Popular sporting events, seasonal holidays, or national events can be helpful content pillars to inspire your marketing efforts and spark a connection with your audience.

How to Repurpose Brand Content For Different Social Media Platforms

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 21:03:46 GMT

Want more mileage out of your content?

No, you shouldn't just repost your TikTok onto reels —the algorithm may even punish you for it.

How Brands Created Localized Photos & Videos In Time for the Holidays

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 00:17:10 GMT

With the holidays right around the corner, producing authentic holiday-themed content is essential for engaging customers. Producing unique photos and videos for each digital platform has historically been difficult for creative teams of all sizes. Many teams now look to StudioNow to easily produce on-brand photos and videos at scale especially around the holidays. With fast turnaround times and thousands of photographers, videographers, and production companies to choose from, getting diverse holiday content is attainable and fits in a tight timeline!

A Basic Understanding of Photo Licensing for Using Stock Photos

imacgowan@studionow.com (StudioNow Team) — Mon, 10 May 2021 18:28:12 GMT

What is Stock Photography?

Stock photography is defined as an archive of images that can be licensed commercially. If you sell a product or service, you automatically have a commercialized need for stock photography in order to support any required marketing collateral. Because of that, you need to license the rights to use a photo for that commercial need. ‘Every day you see pictures in magazines, advertisements, posters, online and on TV. The reality is most of the images used were not created specifically for that product, concept, or promotion. The images those companies use are stock photographs. Stock photos are ready-made images that are licensable for use in your advertising or promotional materials. This ability to search for a specific image saves time and money. At the end of the day, that is what businesses want.’ (Cited material)