Tech-powered production company Untold Fable today launched Authored – a new licensing platform that provides advertisers with access to a unique library of editorial-style photos and videos, sourced from a global, diverse network of over 5,000 photographers and videographers.

With demand for online content forecast to grow 5X within the next couple of years (source: Adobe), the need for brands to have access to editorial assets that can engage social media audiences in an authentic way has never been more pressing. Yet current stock imagery relies on staged visuals, with limited DE&I representation.

Authored offers advertisers an alternative to traditional stock imagery. Available on a per-brief, bespoke basis, the new platform connects brands with a diverse network of talented filmmakers, providing direct access to global high-quality stills and videos. 

Rather than relying on traditional approaches to stock imagery, by connecting brands and agencies with filmmakers and photographers of all demographics and diverse subcultures, Authored enables brands to source imagery and video that authentically reflects the experiences and perspectives of their target audiences. 

Key features include:

• Global Talent Network: Direct access to Untold Fable’s network of 5,000+ photographers and videographers, spanning all age groups and from over 100 countries, ensuring a rich collection of culturally relevant content reflecting diverse voices and perspectives.
• Editorial-Style Visuals: Candid, unstaged, and authentic visuals, exclusive to Untold Fable, offering a refreshing departure from traditional stock imagery. Content from the collection are images and videos sourced directly from personal portfolios, with many captured on location.
• Diverse and Authentic Content: Each visual is accompanied by the filmmaker’s name and DE&I data, ensuring diversity and inclusivity are a key part of the decision-making process;
• Bespoke, Streamlined Service: A user-friendly interface eliminates time-consuming stock website searches. Content is curated to match specific creative briefs, delivering bespoke-level quality through a licensing model.
• End-to-End Solution: Seamless integration with Untold Fable's existing services, including design, copywriting, retouching, and resizing, for a streamlined content workflow.

Untold Fable, on a mission to drive greater diversity, equity and inclusion within ad production, developed Authored to help brands connect more effectively with their audiences. 

Kate Tancred, CEO and founder of Untold Fable, said: “We built Authored because we believe advertisers deserve access to visuals that truly reflect the world we live in. Traditional stock photography often falls short, lacking the authenticity and diversity that resonates with today’s audiences.

“Authored changes that, providing a platform where brands can discover unique, culturally resonant content created by a global community of talented, established photographers and videographers. Through Authored, brands can now license beautifully captured moments in time, helping them to connect more powerfully and authentically with their audiences.”

James Baines, Head of Creative and Editorial, Untold Fable, said: “When we think of stock we think of formulas, repeated and produced. With our new Authored platform, we're trying to offer something unique. A way of second life-ing the work of thousands of image-makers on our network for brands to connect to real moments, fragments of community, culture and the world as it is. It's trying to capture that feeling of getting your film photos developed, but for brands. It's not stock, it's handcrafted.”

For more information on Authored, which is available now, please reach out to [email protected]