Find Inspiration
Brands are some of the most creative contributors to the Instagram community. We've collected some of our favorite examples of brand accounts and hashtags to inspire new ideas for creating great content.
Brands to Follow
Some of our favorite examples of brands using Instagram to reflect their unique identities
High-end basics retailer Everlane has harnessed the power of whitespace to create a sense of clarity and simplicity in their visual story. @everlane offers a rarely seen glimpse into the mysterious world of the fashion industry. Photos have neutral tones and elegantly sparse compositions to reinforce their strong belief in transparency.
Chicago-based flower service Flowers for Dreams has redefined the industry with a unique, locally minded aesthetic. With every handcrafted and hand delivered bouquet, @flowersfordreams also gives back to a local charity. Photos of bouquets, bike couriers on delivery and their charities are bright and slightly desaturated to juxtapose the brilliant colors of each bouquet.
One of the world's most iconic brands, L'Oréal Paris empowers women to design their own beauty through the universal language of makeup. @lorealmakeup uses rich vibrant colors, generous juxtaposition of textures, and quality production to create the visual drama that represents their brand. Every story is a visual reminder to all women: Because You're Worth It.
Design-focused sound tool company Master & Dynamic reinforces their belief that sound is a creative catalyst. @masterdynamic shares transportive images that speak to the creative power of sound using another sense: the eyes. Images and video capture sound through beautifully designed headphones shown in contemplative moments, while occasional images use illusions to simulate the vibrations of sound.
Bicoastal bicycle company Brilliant Bicycle Co. takes the high-speed, over-spandexed biking generation back to the basics. @ridebrilliant has a belief that quality bikes shouldn't be expensive or intimidating. Their Instagram feed embodies that notion with smart, clean and simple imagery of their bikes in approachable everyday locations.
The Frooti Life takes a vibrant and playful approach to capture India's favorite mango drink Frooti. @thefrootilife focuses on keeping an innovative and creative thread in everything they do. Photos and videos represent the brand through a world where anything is possible and surreal things can happen.
Hashtags to Watch
Inventive ways in which the Instagram community inspires and connects with each other
People pass by all kinds of beautiful buildings, landscapes and architecture every day — rarely pausing to take a second glance. Started by NYC Instagrammers Jill Shomer (@jillshomer) and Eric Brammer (@eric_le_reveur), #strideby captures the profile view of people in full, open stride in front of these interesting scenes and backdrops.
Images (clockwise from top left): @jillshomer @eric_le_reveur @habashi @mihailonaca
Portraits are common on Instagram, but it's not so often that you learn much about the people you see in your feed — their hopes, fears, dreams and lives. Instagrammer Branden Harvey (@brandonharvey) started #storyportrait to share the incredible stories of the people in his life in the hope that others would do the same.
Images (clockwise from top left): @estorie @alexlookingforheroes @moriahsutton @brandenharvey
Travel makes up some of the most exhilarating and beautiful moments of our lives, but we often exclude the more boring moments spent waiting in airports, stuck in traffic or crowded into a rush-hour train. Instagrammers Lauren Randolph (@laurenlemon) from Los Angeles and Michael Schulz (@berlinstagram) from Berlin started #whileinbetween to highlight the quiet beauty in the more mundane moments of travel.
Images (clockwise from top left): @joao.bernardino @zellophan @berlinstagram @laurenlemon
Everyone's had a beautiful or interesting car catch their eye, but it's usually hard to capture a good photo with surrounding cars and distractions in the way. When the stars align and you find the perfect car parked all alone in the perfect place, rejoice and snap a #soloparking shot.
Images (clockwise from top left): @smaracuja @tichamercado @martalisboa @dancali
One of the easiest (and most powerful) ways to capture a moment on Instagram, taking a photo of your feet can tell a surprisingly vivid story. From a new pair of heels on an elegantly tiled floor of a hotel lobby to beat-up boots on the wooded path of a weekend hike, #fromwhereistand shots put your viewer in your shoes — literally.
Images (clockwise from top left): @thatsotee @jessicasherrets @lucylaucht @omidscheybani
From praise hands and kissy faces to pine trees and even pets, emojis have become part of how we communicate online. But sometimes, you find something in the real world that bears an uncanny resemblance to its emoji counterpart. Snap a photo and tag it #emojisinthewild to show off your eagle eye, and don't forget to add the actual emoji to your caption, too.
Images (clockwise from top left): @davidleng7 @natalie.rose.photography @chrlstopher @_dkwon