Lesson 2: Images, colors and symbols

People notice pictures before they read a single word. The images in your brochure, website and social posts tell buyers whether you understand them. A stock photo that looks foreign, outdated or generic can quietly signal that the product was not made with them in mind.

Images of people and places:

• Show modern business settings. Nigeria has busy commercial centers, modern offices, factories, farms and markets. Pick images that match where your product is actually used.

• Avoid images that present poverty, rural life or wildlife as the whole picture of a country. This is a common mistake in materials aimed at "Africa" as a single place.

• Use photos of real local settings where possible, with permission from the people shown. Generic stock photos from another country are often easy for local buyers to spot.

• Match dress and setting to the region and the audience. Business dress and norms vary between the north and the south, and between sectors.

Colors and symbols: colors can carry political, religious or community meanings. These vary by region and by group, so check them locally rather than relying on a general list. Green and white are the colors of the Nigerian flag, which can feel patriotic in some uses and official in others. Party colors and religious symbols are best avoided in commercial materials unless a local reviewer confirms they are appropriate.

Gestures: hand gestures in photos and icons need the same care. In Nigeria, an open palm pushed toward someone (sometimes called "waka") is widely understood as an insult. A cheerful stock photo of someone waving with an open palm facing the camera could be read the wrong way.

Example: briefing a designer. Give your designer clear direction before work starts:

Image brief for our Nigeria launch materials:

1\. Show the product in use in a modern Nigerian setting

(workshop, office or farm, matching the product).

2\. Use real local photos where we have permission; no generic stock images from other countries.

3\. No political party colors, religious symbols or open-palm gestures toward the camera.

4\. Send drafts to our local reviewer before final approval.

A short brief like this saves rounds of revision. It also gives your local reviewer a clear list to check against.