Our Goal

Develop a foundational image strategy that sets Vanguard apart, giving designers the creative freedom to choose imagery that best tells our story.

The Challenge

Our CEO was personally selecting images, which highlighted the need for a clear, strategic approach to shape how Vanguard is perceived by the public and how we position our image moving forward.

The Team

As Brand Strategist, I led the project from concept to completion, collaborating with senior leaders, brand, content, and design teams. I managed the entire process, from research and strategy to selecting photographers, models, and locations, overseeing 12+ photo shoots in 3 states over 9 months.

CEO: Tim Buckley

Executives: 6

Brand: 2

Design: 8

Content: 2

Photographer: 3

Strategy

Building a Lasting Image Strategy Through Research and Storytelling

We didn’t start with stylistic choices for our photography strategy. As a design team in a large organization like Vanguard, we were still building our reputation and positioning ourselves as trusted leaders. We also knew that backing up our decisions with statistical data and analysis would be key. As you can imagine, working as a designer at a finance company brings unique challenges in quantifying the impact of your work. At Vanguard, everything was measured.

We began by telling the story. Our goal was to develop a long-term strategy, not something that would last just a couple of years. We wanted a foundation that would stand the test of time, allowing photographers to interpret and implement it in their own way. In this way, we were strategically positioning our work to gain executive buy-in.

One of the major challenges was figuring out how we were perceived versus how we wanted to be perceived. We needed to connect with both current clients and those unfamiliar with Vanguard. To address this, we interviewed executives and identified key themes and keywords, which became the basis for our strategy.

We also did extensive research into our competitors and identified three areas where we could differentiate our imagery. Armed with these insights, we worked with a photographer—Carlos Alejandro—who had already been shooting for Vanguard. During our conversations, it became clear that the art direction he had been given was limiting. His personal style resonated with us, and we began collaborating based on those natural instincts.

Once we had our core strategy in place, centered around the theme, Defining Moments-When a Simple Truth is Revealed, and we ran a test shoot at a local vineyard. With that, we felt ready to present the concept to the executives. After receiving approval from Tim Buckley, we spent the next year planning and scheduling shoots, aiming for authenticity by capturing people in real moments rather than staged events. While we did face some challenges with scheduling and occasionally used friends, family, or models, the clear strategy made it easier to direct the shoots and give the photographer more creative freedom.

The success of this strategy extended beyond our team. Other business lines at Vanguard adopted the approach, using it with their own photographers, helping to reshape Vanguard's image.

Team Workshop to Define Keywords and Structure

Hierarchy Forming the Foundation of the Written Strategy

Research: Audit of Competitor Images

We conducted research on competitor images, using 10 key differentiators and asking participants to rate them. This allowed us to create a visual graph highlighting areas where we could stand out, such as using black-and-white photography, more objects than people, larger photos, and incorporating illustrations or sketches.

Research: In-Person Interviews of Current Images

In our in-person panel interviews, we found that the current images didn’t resonate with participants, as they felt the visuals didn’t accurately reflect their daily lives or how they saw themselves.

Pilot Photo and Video Shoot to Validate the Strategy

Our goal for the pilot photo and video shoot was to test the strategy in a real-world setting. We collaborated with a vintner at a vineyard in Delaware, who generously allowed us to spend the day capturing a 'day in the life' story. We experimented with a variety of photographic techniques, using different lenses to capture defining moments that reflected authenticity. This shoot not only helped refine our approach but also played a key role in successfully presenting and selling the strategy to Vanguard’s executives.

Photographic Style

The three defining styles we used—motion, focus, and depth of field—helped differentiate the images and brought an artistic touch to each shot. The use of motion introduced a dynamic element, capturing the action to make the images feel alive and in-the-moment. Focus played a key role in directing the viewer’s attention to the subject, ensuring clarity and purpose in every image. Depth of field added dimension, creating contrast between the subject and the background, which gave the photos a sense of intimacy and realism. Together, these techniques set our imagery apart by making the moments feel authentic, not staged, and aligned with Vanguard’s values of simplicity and clarity.

Depth of Field

Focus

Motion

Final Images

These final images, captured over several months, reflect the authenticity we aimed for by showcasing individuals in real, everyday moments. We focused on using real people, authentic objects, and natural settings, avoiding anything staged or posed. Each shoot provided a diverse range of images—people, places, and objects—allowing us to tell complete stories.

By following individuals through their activities, we created intimate shots using motion, depth of field, and focus techniques to highlight defining moments. Embracing imperfections, like the imprecise grip of someone learning a new skill, added to the genuine and relatable feel of the images.

Final portraits

Before, the portrait style was very traditional—front-facing with single-color backdrops. After, we shifted to a more personal approach, capturing the individual’s essence in casual, simple settings that felt more authentic.

Bringing the Vision to Life: Images Featured on Vanguard’s Homepage

The Result

As a result, we developed a cohesive and flexible image strategy that aligned with Vanguard's core values and resonated with its audience, establishing a lasting visual narrative.

Key outcomes of the project included:

• Adoption of the image strategy across multiple business lines, including Financial Advisor, Institutional, Corporate, and International.

• Enhanced consistency and brand recognition across all channels through a unified visual approach.

• Streamlined the image selection process, shifting decision-making back to designers and reducing reliance on executive approvals.

• Increased engagement and connection with both existing clients and potential new audiences through authentic, storytelling-driven imagery.

• Established a long-term strategy that allows for flexibility while maintaining brand alignment.