VSCO: Communication Tool

audgekathleen5
Mar 1, 2020
3 min read

The social media phenomenon that freely allows people to edit and share pictures in a stylish and artistic manner!

"I Believe that the Beauty of VSCO lies in the fact that it is Allowing for Everyone to Become an Artist"

- Audrey Powell

Introduction

VSCO (known as the Visual Supply Company) was launched in 2012 and gives users the ability to upload photos in order to edit and add filters. Users have to option to buy presets for edits + filters to use on their photos, but are also given an array of filters to choose from for free.

Purpose:

People can post pictures onto their VSCO feed or use these edits on any other social media platform (Instagram, Twitter, etc.), for marketing purposes, or for professional websites. I believe that the beauty of VSCO lies in the fact that it is allowing for everyone to become an artist.

How it works:

You upload any photo from your camera role onto the VSCO app. You then choose a filter to add to the pictures. You can adjust the exposure, contrast, saturation, highlights and shadows. You can add vignette, grain, a fade, or tone with different colors. After the photo is edited to satisfaction, you can choose to publish the photo to your VSCO wall or just download it back to your camera roll.

Who can use it: This app is incredibly user friendly. I have been using it since I was 12 and I know young kids that are using it for the first time that have a really easy time editing. Boys and Girls both use this app. My mom even uses it to edit her Instagram photos.

A majority of the people using the app are photographers that have high quality pictures and use this platform as a way to gain followers and inspire others. There are different mediums people can involve themselves in as photographers on this app. There is beach photography, geometric architecture photography, and editorial photography just to name a few.

Sadly, people assume that a majority of users are just teenage/college aged girls AKA the VSCO Girl (girls who are considered "basic", who have hydro flasks, wear extra large tee shirts, wear scrunchies around their wrists). VSCO gets bad wrap for being targeted to white basic girls, but it is so much more than that. It is a creative outlet for many different types of artists.

Needs and Strategies:

I believe that a reason someone would want to use VSCO would be to inspire others and find inspiration themselves. From a business standpoint, you can use this app to make free edits on photos for the companies social media profiles. Art teachers, or even just standard education teachers, can gain ideas for photography projects or teach their students how to market their product using appropriate edits.

Examples:

NIKE:

I love Nikes VSCO profile because it's fresh, modern, and contemporary. The pictures posted are nothing like the normal ad campaigns we're used to seeing in stores or in magazines. It adds an elevated aspect to their company. https://vsco.co/nikesportswear/gallery

"I Like to Think of it as an Online Art Gallery"

- Audrey Powell

Not very many large brand name companies use VSCO I've come to realize. I think that it has to do with accounts not getting much engagement and it's not the best way to interact with customers. But a lot of people use VSCO to put their work out on a platform and to drum up attention through this Visual App. It is more of a personal business tool. I like to think of it as an online Art Gallery.