Which product photos work for new ad visuals

The reference must show the right product

A new setting can present a product differently. But it must not quietly turn into a different product. Before AI production, it should therefore be clear which version is being sold and which features must remain unchanged.

First collect the existing original shots. A front view shows the label and proportions; an angled shot helps understand the three-dimensional shape. Detail shots are useful where closures, surfaces or small lettering would otherwise be hard to see. These recommendations are practical preparation and no guarantee that every source image is enough for every staging.

Five points for choosing images

With this list, you can check existing photos before ordering new visuals. If a crucial piece of information is missing, an additional shot is usually a clearer starting point than a guess.

Plan ad visual and Shopping main image separately

The planned target format belongs in the brief. A portrait visual needs different space than a wide website section. Later use matters too: an atmospheric social media visual does not automatically meet the requirements of a product feed.

For the main image in Merchant Center, Google requires a clear depiction of the item actually on offer. Additional promotional text, price stickers and logos overlaid afterwards can lead to rejection. Generic placeholder images are also unsuitable. These rules apply to this specific Google channel; they are not a blanket design requirement for every ad.

So define two uses separately if you need both: a factual product image for product listings and an approved staging for advertising. That way nobody later has to reconstruct a compliant main image from a finished campaign visual.

Sources: Product image requirements in Merchant Center

How to check a finished visual

Compare the draft directly with the reference and go through the unchangeable features first. Only then assess background, light and mood. For a series, the same check should be done for each final visual; a convincing first image does not yet confirm the others.

• Do silhouette, proportions, colour and number of visible parts match the product?
• Are the label, logo and legible lettering correct, without invented additions?
• Do contact surfaces, reflections and shadows match the scene?
• Does the product remain fully recognisable in the agreed target format?
• Is it clear which file will be used on which channel after approval?

What a concrete production job includes

To start, a clear product selection, suitable references, the intended use and an approved direction are enough. Add the features that must not be changed under any circumstances. One example: the same bottle shape and the same label, but three agreed settings for the upcoming campaign.

With Pribbly’s product & ad images, the ten final visuals relate to one product and up to three agreed staging directions. One target format is agreed per visual; two revision rounds are included. Other items or colour variants extend the job. This definition helps bundle image selection and feedback before production.

Sources: Product & ad images: scope and conditions