Case Study: M&T Bank Board Portraits
As a corporate photographer with a longstanding relationship with M&T Bank, I've enjoyed managing their internal professional portrait program for several years. This experience with their brand proved invaluable during a recent project photographing their board of directors during meetings held in Buffalo, New York.
M&T Bank, a financial institution with over 20,000 employees, maintains a consistent, high-quality visual identity, and our team understands how to integrate new imagery into their brand ecosystem seamlessly.
Coordinating Across Busy Schedules and Limited Timeframes
One of the primary challenges of this project was logistics. M&T Bank's board members are scattered across the country, making it essential to coordinate a photoshoot meticulously around their travel schedules and a busy day of board meetings. Board member time comes at a premium, so we had a minimal window to work with them. Our team needed to be flexible, adaptable, and incredibly efficient to ensure we captured high-quality portraits within these tight constraints.
Maintaining Brand Consistency with a Twist
M&T Bank boasts a well-established brand identity, and its photography needs to reflect that. We aimed to create seamless images aligned with the bank's existing style guide. However, for the board members specifically, we wanted to create subtle variations that distinguished them visually from the broader employee base.
To achieve this, we developed a secondary set of images featuring a slight vignette, adding a touch of gravitas that befits the board's leadership role.
Efficiency is Key: Streamlining the Process
Knowing we had a limited window with each board member, we assembled a team designed for on-site efficiency. This team captured the portraits and facilitated on-the-spot review and selection. This streamlined approach minimized back-and-forth communication with the board and ensured a quick turnaround time for M&T Bank's marketing and communications team.
Working with a Discerning Clientele
M&T Bank's board of directors is a media-savvy group with high standards for their image. We understood the importance of capturing professional, polished portraits that reflected their leadership qualities. Our team's experience and attention to detail, honed by our long history of working with M&T Bank, were crucial in achieving this goal.
Here's what Thea Pecht, SVP of Corporate Communications for M&T Bank, had to say about the experience:
"When taking photos for our senior executives, we want them to have the most professional, productive, and time-efficient experience. In less than 15 minutes, someone can walk right into the shot Luke and the team have set up, get coached through different poses, and pick their top image from two different backgrounds. I'm able to view the pictures taken in real time on set. He has turned photos around for M&T by the next day for immediate mass media distribution. News outlets have no issue running and crediting Luke's work, as it is of the highest quality.
Coming from a newsroom, the first time I met Luke, I knew immediately he was a talented pro. He and his team are kind, flexible, and accommodating. We have worked on many shoots together and, at this point, in complete tandem.
The most common feedback from our leadership has been, "Well, that was EASY!" Luke has a way of making you feel comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. It is not a common everyday occurrence for a professional photographer to take intimate portraits of your face. But Luke helps guide everyone through and has an exceptional eye for spotting the best shot as he's taking it. Luke has taken all of our photos on our Executive Bios page."
These quotes speak volumes about the bank's positive experience working with us. Overall, this project at M&T Bank exemplified a successful collaboration through careful planning, creative execution, and an eye for brand identity.
