Does Your Brand Look Like The Village of the Damned?
- Chris Lam
- Jun 8
- 2 min read
How Do You Represent Your Brand Online?
When’s the last time you looked at your product shots, influencer posts, or stock images with a fresh eye? If your graphics only show thin, able-bodied, cis-het people, that is a gap. Most of us do not look like the Village of the Damned.
As your business evolves, your marketing lens should evolve with it. Really thinking about language and visuals that reflect the people you actually serve.
Here’s a quick temp check to use before you hit publish:
Ask a trusted human to review the post. I'll typically flag content if it's "too white peopley."
Walk away for an hour, then re-read. Fresh brain = better edit.
Use a sensitivity reader who can flag ableist, sexist, or racializing language. You could even ask ChatGPT or Claude to help you here. (You could create your own GPT to do this!!)
Give a friend or a peer permission to call you out privately when you miss.
Now, some diverse stock photo sources to bookmark. Most are free or have free tiers, but always check licenses and attribution notes.
Diverse Stock Images
Free (or free with attribution):
Nappy - beautiful photos of Black & Brown folks. Free.
Disabled And Here - disability-led, QTBIPOC-focused collection (CC BY 4.0).
The Gender Spectrum Collection - trans and nonbinary people in everyday life. Free; follow usage guidelines.
WOCinTech – Women of color in tech workplaces (Flickr, CC BY 2.0).
Pexels – growing diversity; search terms like “plus size,” “accessibility,” “Latinx family,” “Muslim entrepreneurs.”
Unsplash – hit-or-miss, but solid if you use specific search terms and curated collections.
Canva – look for inclusive collections (many free with account).
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