The present & future of visual assets sharing: From simple emails to smart embeddings

In the realm of digital marketing and communication, the sharing of visual assets like logos, campaign images, and brand guidelines between organizations and their business partners often leans towards methods that blend convenience with immediacy. Even as the landscape of digital asset management (DAM) evolves, the core practices of sharing these crucial files tend to favor straightforward, universally accessible approaches: sending attachments via email or using cloud-based file-sharing services such as Dropbox or a more sophisticated DAM service. This method, while familiar and efficient for many, involves commonly used file formats such as SVG, PNG, JPEG, and WEBP, catering to a variety of needs from web design to high-quality print materials.

The Present Reality of Sharing Visual Assets

Today, when a marketing professional decides to share a branded image or a logo with a partner, they might attach an SVG file for crisp graphics in web design, a PNG for transparent backgrounds, a JPEG for photographs, or a WEBP file for high-quality images with reduced file size. The process is usually as simple as attaching the file to an email or, for larger files, uploading them to a service like a DAM and sharing a link to download. This preference underscores a wider trend: the prioritization of simplicity and ease, even as it opens up avenues for complications related to file exchanging, security, and loss of control over the asset once shared.

This prevalent practice of sharing files directly does come with significant drawbacks, primarily the loss of control over the asset post-sharing. When files are sent as email attachments or via cloud links, they become independent entities, detached from their original context and control, leading to potential unauthorized distribution and use.

The Future of Asset Sharing: Control, Rights, and Analytics

Envisioning the future of sharing visual assets brings us to a transformative concept: maintaining control, rights, and introducing analytics into how these assets are shared and used. Instead of distributing standalone files, the future could see the adoption of sharing assets through code snippets or unique links. This method wouldn't just display the image but also keep it tethered to the original owner’s control and analytics systems. Such an approach would allow owners to track how and where their assets are used, providing invaluable insights into asset exposure, influence and performance across different platforms and campaigns.

Moreover, emphasizing analytics in this new sharing method reveals the potential for a deeper understanding of asset utilization and engagement. By analyzing how assets are interacted with across various platforms, organizations can gain insights into user behavior, asset effectiveness, and potentially drive strategic decisions based on real-time data.

Rethinking Blockchain and Embracing CAI

While blockchain technology offers unique advantages in terms of security and decentralized control, its widespread adoption is tempered by significant considerations, including its environmental impact due to high electricity consumption as well as why should we adopt it if we can do pretty much the same with the current state. Instead of viewing blockchain as the immediate future of digital asset management, it's constructive to consider initiatives like the Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI). CAI aims to develop a standardized way of securing digital asset rights and traceability, offering a more immediately viable and environmentally conscious alternative to blockchain for managing and sharing digital visual assets.

The Potential of Code Snippet Sharing

The idea of sharing visual assets as a code snippet represents an innovative step forward. This approach, if adopted by content management systems (CMS), e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and eventually social media, could revolutionize the way images are distributed and seen. It provides a direct link back to the owner, maintaining control over the asset, enhancing security, and potentially incorporating usage analytics.

Such a method, starting as a niche practice, has the potential to become mainstream. It addresses the core issues of current sharing methods, offering a solution that maintains asset integrity, control, and insights into asset utilization. As digital platforms evolve, the adoption of code snippet sharing could mark a significant shift in digital asset management, setting new standards for how visual assets are distributed and controlled in the digital age.