If you’re still hunting down online copyright infringements, you’re wasting your energy and resources—things you ought not to squander if you want to advance in the industry. Here’s why it’s time to let it go.

Reason #1 — Success Is Awesome; Failure Is Embarrassing (and Sucks)

Reality may bite, but refusal to accept reality bites harder. And the fact is that the Internet has made the digital media industry a very different place to do business. Consider this: Print ads dominated the world in the 20th century, and use rights were restricted to a specific outlet or location. So, back then, collecting fees for each image licensed for a single use made perfect sense. But then came the Internet, where media is displayed through almost countless channels across international borders.

Despite the admirable efforts of some incredible lawyers, determining and enforcing the copyright usage boundaries of the digital media we create has arguably reached the realm of the impossible and the realm of the pointless. (At least for now.) So, there are two ways to deal with this reality: (1) We can refuse to accept it and continue fighting ‘the good fight,’ all the while watching our businesses crumble under the weight of what we perceive as a sort of moral incorruptibility, or (2) we can adapt by refusing to allow an old-school business model to hold us back.

As a lifelong fan of success, I advise this: Have a good cry (if you must), change your perspective, then move on and get busy adapting.

Reason #2 — Your Creative Will Be Better

At Echo-Factory, we’ve adapted by giving clients unlimited usage rights to their photos and other digital media since the company was founded. Scary as it may sound, it’s worked out well. By eliminating the hassle of contracts and the wasted time spent watchdogging, we’ve focused on kick-ass creative—what we love to do and what clients love to get.

Creative from one of our Maglite campaigns.
Creative from one of our Maglite Campaigns

Some argue that the online free-for-all strips digital media of its creative sacredness. But I suggest it’s helped us become better artists by further defining what makes a great work of art in advertising. Here’s another way: In our digital world, images that are ‘good enough’ to get the job done can be captured on cell phones or downloaded from the Internet in seconds. But great visual content takes a special touch. So you could also say that free-for-all digital media is making us better artists by raising the standard for what defines a work of art. After all, when potential clients have access to a cyber universe brimming over with free or cheap stuff that’s ‘good enough,’ why would they come to us for custom work? They’ll come because investing in unique creative for your brand is worth it.

Reason #3 — Your Clients Deserve Better Than Stock Images

We all love clients. How could we not? They are indeed what makes our advertising world go ’round. So, if marketing agencies are worth their salt, we’ll always seek to do right by them. We all know that marketing campaigns comprising 100% stock images are not right on many levels.

Instead of concentrating on single-use images (which typically go hand in hand with single-image customers), offering unlimited use (in our experience) will earn you lots of love from your clients. Lots of love means long-term relationships, and long-term relationships mean a growing and thriving marketing agency.

Photography and Video Production Services

Professionally developed photography and videos for products, events, headshots, and advertising help your brand connect with and inspire your audience. Echo-Factory brings your brand to life with commercial photography and videography on location or in a Los Angeles-based studio.

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