UNLIKE MUCH OF the TV-obsessed British public in recent weeks, I resisted the lure of BBC1’s The Apprentice until the final few rounds. We now know, of course, that Sir Alan’s new aide is cockney sales wizard Lee McQueen (well done to him), but I was more struck by remarks made during the last You’re Fired review show. Lord Karan Bilimoria, CEO of Cobra beer and guest panellist on the programme, was giving some feedback on the marketing task set to the four finalists and the importance of brand identity. In this instance, he underlined how a product name plays a big part in people’s affinity with what you are selling and that certain phrases "just work" in cementing your identity. He’s absolutely right, of course, and it got me thinking about the other ways brands communicate with us, be it via corporate mottos, logos or memorable advertising. Our eCommerce article this month brings this kind of thing into a dotcom context, and underlines just how hard it can be to convey your services across such a vast and transitory online terrain, especially for new business start-ups.

We were lucky enough to be visited by two web success stories in the weeks before sending this issue to press, in the shape of Blurb.com and iStockPhoto. Both are good examples of brand establishment across the ether, and both are doing great things to not only raise awareness of their great products but also to promote creative image-based publishing in the process.

Significantly with iStock, executive vice president Kelly Thompson was over in the UK to talk about a related study into the use of imagery by small and medium-sized businesses, or SMBs. The findings overall are intriguing, and certainly fly in the face of a modern commitment to visual communication being taken for granted, with only 31 per cent of 275 surveyed firms using imagery for marketing and advertising collateral. Literally just over half declared a use of “photography, video, computer-generated imagery and vector graphics” across websites – suggesting an alarming disregard for the immediacy that such assets can offer.

"Imagery on a website, in marketing collateral or in a presentation, not only enhances the message but can instantly convey a connection or create a feeling", Thompson explains. "Unlike words, images aren’t a language you have to learn during your life. Where a paragraph can take a minute to read, an image can be interpreted in seconds."

Now, iStock obviously has a vested interest in highlighting such shortfalls as catastrophic to achieving a better business message, and it does tie it all together with the claim that two thirds of those asked prefer to produce materials in-house rather than purchasing from professional outlets.

"Thanks to micro-stock photography sites that provide professionally inspected images across a diverse range of business and lifestyle-related topics," Thompson continues, "you don’t even need to know about photography to maximise the use of imagery in your business. High-quality, royalty free imagery is now widely available for everyone at affordable prices." However, the main point of using all these techniques, and indeed so-called Web 2.0 elements like business blogs or smart shopping carts, is surely about efficient design. Pasting up images onto your domain that have no function or relevance won’t solely endear your site or brand to the customer, in the same way that a reliance on style over substance can be fatal. The golden rules behind good eCommerce must therefore traverse strong delivery of a clear service message, while establishing an essential level of trust in what is being promised.

There’s also much to be said about the kind of trade you’re doing and how important imagery, video or audio could be in detailing a service online. Like Thompson said, it would be illogical and futile to use reams of copy to describe a garment when a photograph or QuickTime VR movie says it best. All of these subtle little decisions play a big part in adding credibility, often on a subconscious level that can be pivotal in translating hits into cash. So while Cobra may well be a great name for a great beer, it doesn’t take the customer long to spot a snake if your product quality and brand trust aren’t up to scratch. Presentation only gets you so far on the modern web…