Harnessing Visuals for Revenue
News organizations can further return on their investments in visuals by developing projects that directly increase engagement and revenue.
A selection of the images auctioned off by the National Association of Black Journalists Visual Task Force during the NABJ yearly convention.
Case Study: Visuals for an auction with a gross profit of $26,000
Need: The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Visual Task Force (VTF) hoped to raise funds for their photojournalism scholarship.
Solution: NABJ VTF auctioned a collection of 35 photos, including images donated by The New York Times, the Associated Press and other partners.
How:
Promotion/Outreach:
Pre-launch
Organizers emailed past major donors to the NABJ and all of the past donors to the VTF, asking what sort of images they would be interested in bidding on
During launch
Published a behind-the-scenes video on social media with the backstory of how one of the auctioned images was made
Emailed specific people who organizers thought would be interested
Posted signage throughout the NABJ convention
Sent newsletter about the auction to the entire NABJ membership
Michelle Agins's iconic photo of James Baldwin was one of the historic images being auctioned.
Process:
Planning began in January to identify images and sponsors. “What sells really well for us now is joy,” Danese Kenon, Managing Editor of Visuals at the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Chair of the NABJ auction committee, said, “Black people are really tired of seeing black bodies where we are bent or broken. Black people want to hang joy on their walls.” The final selection was a mix of historic and contemporary images. About ten people worked together to gather images and promote the auction.
The auction was held at the end of July 2024 and lasted three days. For the first time, it was hybrid: You had to be in person at the NABJ convention to bid on the ten premium prints, or you could bid online for the rest.
The ten premium prints were on display throughout the convention and then moved to a room for the live auction.
Supplies/Cost:
$2,500 - printing
$4,000 - matting, framing and then mailing of prints*
$0 - images (in-kind donations by photographers/outlets)
*Kenon noted that the printing, matting and framing are a possible sponsorship opportunity for the future.
Impact:
Raised $26,000
Tips:
“Your archive is your key to having success,” Lance Washington, the National Association of Black Journalists Visual Task Force Chair, said. He says local newsrooms have a leg up because they already have an extensive archive to draw from for auctions and they know which images will resonate with their community.
Additionally, “the reason you are fundraising is important,” Kenon said. She says donors want to see young black photographers out in the field so an auction that is fundraising for just that further incentivizes them.
Kenon herself was a recipient of the scholarship over 20 years ago. It helped put her through college.
