Barry Salzman "Necessity creates Invention" Peak Performance=6th gear. Working with the strategy of differentiating Profusion’s results as “peak performance,” a campaign was developed based on the metaphor of “shifting into 6th gear.” Only a Ferrari Has 6 Gears. The only car with 6 gears on the gearshift knob is a Ferarri. When Profusion’s agency determined that Ferrari’s image rights fees vastly exceeded the budget, Salzman was brought in to find a creative visual solution. Plan B: Use Your Imagination To find an alternative that would communicate the same message with the same visual tone, Salzman made test images of a number of possible stand-ins for the actual Ferrari gearshift knob, including hand-made models, toys and Ferarri-branded merchandise. With the right lighting and camera work, he was able to make a wine stopper look like the real thing. “I was amazed at the Ferrari-like images he produced from a wine stopper stuffed into an apple—Barry is a creative problem solver.” --Rod Jones, CEO Profusion Group
Photographer + Strategist: Sussman & Company
Barry Salzman "Overcoming the Imagination Barrier" An Iconic Headquarters in an Emerging Neighborhood Sussman & Company, a major Sydney real-estate developer, teamed with architects Johnson Pilton Walker (known for refurbishing the Sydney Opera House) to propose an iconic new regional headquarters for a leading Asian auto manufacturer. The site, once an industrial warehouse district, is transitioning into a desirable neighborhood of residences, art galleries, and cafes. The Problem with a Birds’ Eye View After initial meetings, the auto manufacturer was enthusiastic about the idea, but, based on aerial photographs, they thought the area was too industrial, that it might not have enough personality to give their employees a comfortable quality of life. For the company’s top decision-makers in Asia, words were not creating a convincing picture of the neighborhood.
A Vision of Real Life Given the language barrier and the “imagination barrier” presented by the aerial photography, Salzman was brought in to develop a visual solution. To show the real life of the neighborhood, Salzman created a series of rich, inviting images showing that the essential everyday activities—working, playing, living, eating, shopping—are available within just 5 minutes of the site. The pictures were the backbone of the multimedia presentation sent to the Asian headquarters. According to Sussman & Company Chairman, Roy Sussman, “Barry gave us his unique visual perspective plus invaluable strategic thinking. That’s the best of both worlds.”
Photographer + Manager: Intercontinental Sydney
Barry Salzman "Capturing the Experience" Shifting toward Experiential Marketing At a global level, Intercontinental Hotels was shifting its marketing strategy away from promoting features of the hotel toward promoting the experiences customers can enjoy in and around each property. The new tagline sums it up: “Do you live an Intercontinental lifestyle?” “Make me wish I was the girl in the picture” For the new campaign, Intercontinental Sydney’s Fiona Pascoe (Director, Sales and Marketing) wanted a set of images so lush and inviting that the customer would project themselves into the scenes, saying, “I want to be that girl” (or guy). To carry out her vision for the campaign, she needed a photographer with a talent for capturing the emotion and spontaneity of real life—and one she could rely on to oversee and manage the entire project, keeping the work on strategy.
Getting 100 Shots in 3 Days
Salzman took ownership for every facet of the project - from casting to styling to location scouting. To create an authentic sense of intimacy, play and passion in the photos, he cast a real-life couple. To get the most shots within the client’s budget, Salzman maximized pre-shoot planning—including shot angles, shooting times, and locations. The outcome was a set of almost 100 usable shots executed in just 3 days. The image set satisfied all marketing needs for the fiscal year, including print, web, direct marketing, brochures and posters. Looking at the final pictures, Intercontinental’s Pascoe was delighted: “You did it—I want to be that girl!”
Barry Salzman "A Photographer Who Knows His Business" Professional Profile:
Act I
The thing is, I took the long way around. Photography was an early passion that I put aside when I came to America, something else I had a passion for. It was the place where the best and brightest seemed to gather, where the finest brands and most skillful marketers made their homes. So, long story short: I left my first camera in South Africa and forged a lengthy and successful business career in the US. From Harvard Business School to investment banking to consulting at McKinsey and more recently as President of DoubleClick’s internet advertising business. And that whole time I didn’t even own a camera.
Interlude: Stumped by the world’s 1st supermodel and a Polaroid.
In the midst of my business career, I realized how far I’d drifted from my early dreams of being a professional photographer. It happened while I was in the women’s fitting room at Bergdorf’s. I was working with Lauren Hutton to create a business plan for a range of branded products targeting older women baby boomers. Jeans represented a big opportunity. To highlight the problems with what was available on the market, Lauren whisked me into the store, picked up a pair of every jean in her size and pulled me into the VIP fitting room. She dropped her drawers and handed me a Polaroid. I had no idea what to do with it.
Act II
When I took up photography again in recent years, I had half a lifetime of practical experience to inform my work, whether it was commercial or artistic. That means I share values and a common language with my clients, which they tell me is very refreshing. It also helps us work together to make images that are commercially effective. I’ve done other things in my career that gave me status, prestige, power, and money. But being a photographer is the only thing I’ve ever done just because I love it. I work as a photographer because I get a huge kick out of the process of bringing an image into being that first existed only in my imagination. Or in yours.