One picture could be worth $3,000 worth of photography equipment and a chance for amateur photographers to have their work used – and remunerated – by commercial clients in a new contest launched by Getty Images.
The “This is Canada” competition is inviting consumers to take photographs they feel best convey everyday life in Canada. In addition to a new Canon camera and 2,000 Air Miles reward miles, participants also have a chance to have their images added to Getty’s Flickr Collection.
Andrew Delaney, director of creative content for Getty Images in New York, said that the contest is both a marketing initiative and a “drive for content” for Getty, which supplies images to a diverse range of clients including newspapers, magazines and advertising agencies.
“Canada is a very important market for us, and we need to be driving more local content, real pictures of real Canada shot by Canadians,” said Delaney. “That way we get that authenticity that other Canadians recognize in a heartbeat.”
The judging panel for “This is Canada” is comprised of Delaney, Vancouver freelance photographer Rich Lam, MacLaren McCann senior vice-president creative director Sean Davison, and senior manager of creative services for Scotiabank Canadian marketing Carey Ivison.
“This is Canada” follows similar contests in both Scandinavia and Australia, said Delaney. Last year’s contest in Australia saw 3,800 images added to Getty’s Flickr Collection.
The contest builds on Getty’s three-year relationship with the popular online photo-sharing site Flickr. Photographers who submit their images to the contest will have the opportunity to have their work added to the Flickr Collection on the Getty Images website and, potentially, have their work used by Getty’s corporate clients in more than 100 countries.
While “This is Canada” is not intended as a consumer marketing initiative, Delaney said greater awareness of the Getty brand might be an ancillary benefit. “If when people are thinking about photography and Getty is the second or third thing they think of, I won’t be disappointed,” he said.
“This is Canada” runs until May 19. Additional information can be found at ShowUsYourCanada.ca.
