marketing inspiration and ideas for growth-minded leaders

Please lend your 2 cents for a creative decision.

I’m trying to help a friend decide on whether to use this picture for a pretty sizable campaign. Please look at the following picture and answer two questions in the comments below:

stockphoto

Q. What is the relationship between these two people?
Q. What’s this guy thinking right now?

Your opinion is most appreciated!

Please retweet this research question if you’d be so kind.

  • cynthiamorgan
    He works for her.
    He thinks she is stupid.
  • tomstanill
    1. Not positive- doesn't connect with the speaker
    2. He knew this was going to be a waste of time
  • fgdsx
    1. The woman is trying to engage the man in a conversational point.
    2. The man is thinking of something else.
  • edoagogo
    the woman in the photo is trying to make a point. The man is walking away and not paying attention to her. He seems to have his own ides which he is pleased with.

    Also the photo looks very "stock"
  • Peter Rao-McCann
    1) They have a relationship that should be collaborative/cooperative - no direct report
    2) He thinks what he knows is good enough.

    The unasked question is what is she thinking. She knows he is missing something key. The blur on the female figure does not have the effect of taking focus off her --- great photo, but to me, she is the "object" of the picture.
  • BertBamboo
    They are co-workers but without a strong team work relationship..

    The smirk on his face shows he thinks what she is saying is silly and he is walking away.
  • Joe R
    She's a subordinate to him. He's not even remotely clued into a word she is saying. She's desparately trying to get his attention.
  • I agree with the other posts as far as the questions go.

    From a photography perspective, don't use it. I'm all for creating tension in an image by having the subject facing the edge, but to cut off half his eyeball is just bad composition. If you think of it like a story, he's clearly the protagonist, but not showing a subject's full face is something usually reserved for the bad guys. This picture is like a movie with nobody to cheer for. Also, the light side of his head is touching the lightest part of the background which is another no-no.
  • Thomas
    A. co-workers. (bosses don't talk to the back of their employee's heads)
    A. I know something you don't.

    Smile isn't big enough to read (happiness) and Daydreaming would rarely have eyes looking straight ahead, they would be looking up or even peacefully closed with a smile on his face.
  • Mark
    Female= class instructor or presentation presenter; her emotion is frustration that he's not listening
    Male= class/presentation attendee who is clearly not paying attention while she's trying to get his attention; his emotion is pleasure directed at an unseen 3rd party
  • Steve
    They are co-workers
    He is blowing her off and walking away from what ever she is saying. (the reason i say that is it looks like she is still talking or trying to get his attention and he is just not listening to her anymore.)
  • ncarson
    They're co-workers. Possibly working on a project together and he just got the anwer/idea that he was looking for. All that's on his mind is the concept that he's on his way to execute....he has entered the "creative zone" and that smile is smug bliss. "This is why, when I'm in the C-Suite, you'll still be standing there holding that Sharpie. Not all lefties are creative, Mindy."
  • rkfarrisjr
    They are coworkers, perhaps she even works for him. He's thinking about retiring and not whatever she's trying to persuade him about work-wise.

    This was my first impression. Hope it helps you! :)
    -Rick
  • He's confident, maybe a little arrogant, that he has the answer.
  • Selda
    Coworkers
    "Got you where I wanted you to be: behind. Oh, dear God, why do I feel wrong about walking away like this? Hey, I'm cool, I'm cool... Just walk away and pretend to be cool about it!"
  • He works for her and he's blowing her off (happy about doing so).
  • Greg Bates
    He's a decision maker, she's a salesperson or internal presenter whose pitch/ideas are falling on deaf ears (perhaps due to uninspiring presentation methods ie flipchart).

    He's thinking about the beer he'll be drinking when he gets out of this boring meeting and goes home.
  • AK Phelps
    A. She'ss a co-worker or business partner, with a problem that needs to be solved.

    A. In two and a half hours, I'm on a plane bound for the Bahamas! Nothing she can say will make me turn around now!
  • erikwolf
    She is definitely his boss and he looks a little irritated :)
  • Dave Gibson
    A1) They're coworkers.
    A2) He's just realized "the" answer and is happy he no longer needs her.
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