iStockphoto today announced a new app that lets anyone create fast, fun and free e-cards for use on Facebook.

The iStock e-card App can be accessed via any existing iStockphoto Facebook page or http://apps.facebook.com/istockecard/. In a matter of seconds, a user can create, customise and personalise a card that can be posted to a friend’s wall or sent privately via Facebook message. With over 50 free images, illustrations and videos representing major holidays, celebrations and milestones, iStock’s e-card app makes it easy to customise an electronic greeting for virtually any occasion.

“One of the greatest things about Facebook is that it lets you stay in touch with a wide range of people simultaneously,” said Rebecca Rockafellar, general manager of iStockphoto. “If you’re one of the more than 800 million people who frequent Facebook, chances are on any given day at least one of your friends is celebrating something special. The iStock e-card app makes it easy to mark the occasion with something more meaningful than a simple comment or wall post.”

The iStock e-card App is available immediately. International versions of the Facebook app have been created in German, Italian, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese and English. The application is free and available to anyone with a Facebook profile. 

About iStockphoto
iStockphoto offers easy, affordable inspiration with millions of vetted, royalty-free photos, illustrations, video, audio and Flash^® files. Using the most advanced search in the business, customers download a file every second from a collection of more than ten million files for business, marketing and personal projects. iStockphoto started in 2000, pioneering the micropayment photography business model, and has become one of the most successful and profitable user-generated content sites in the world. iStockphoto is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Getty Images.

as Getty Images Creative Grants

-Getty Images Calls for Entries for 2012 Creative Grants-

Getty Images today announced the rebranding of the Grants for Good as Getty Images Creative Grants, with an increased emphasis on the innovative use of creative and conceptual imagery and film. 

Fostering the collaboration between photographers and filmmakers with agency creatives and nonprofits, the Getty Images Creative Grants will award two grants of $15,000, each year, to fund the creation of a compelling visual campaign that promotes positive change.  In addition to the cash prize, the winning photographer-agency or filmmaker-agency team will have the opportunity to leverage the expertise of Getty Images’ art directors, photo editors and producers to execute the project. Grant applications will be accepted from February 1 to March 1, each year, on Getty Images Grants’ site at www.gettyimages.com/grants.

“Nonprofits need compelling creative content to effectively tell their stories and stand out from the documentary style traditionally associated with the nonprofit sector,” said Andrew Saunders, Senior Vice President of Creative Content for Getty Images. “Together with creative agencies and content creators these organizations can leverage innovative conceptual imagery to raise awareness around critical world issues.”

“Nonprofits work tirelessly to bring about positive change and our Creative Grant is designed to help them communicate more effectively to their supporters,” said Peggy Willet, Senior Director of Citizenship for Getty Images. “The goal of Getty Images Creative Grants is to provide the means and resource to generate new ways of using visual content that can create positive awareness for their philanthropic endeavors.”

The grants will be awarded by independent judges, each selected by Getty Images based on their  industry standing and experience.  Applications will be evaluated against criteria which include the strength and concept of the portfolio imagery as well as the level of collaboration between the creative communications agency and the nonprofit, to create a compelling visual narrative. The 2012 Grants for Good judging panel will consist of:

• Nick Law, EVP, Chief Creative Officer of North America, R/GA
• Jonny Bauer, Head of Strategy, Droga5
• Karl Heiselman, CEO, Wolff Olins

Winners will be announced in June at the 2012 Cannes Lions Advertising Festival. For further information on Getty Images’ grants program, including previous recipients visit: www.gettyimages.com/grants.

About Getty Images

Getty Images is one of the world’s leading creators and distributors of still imagery, video and multimedia products, as well as a recognized provider of other forms of premium digital content, including music.  Getty Images serves business customers in more than 100 countries and is the first place creative and media professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage images and other digital content.  Its award-winning photographers and imagery help customers produce inspiring work which appears every day in the world’s most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and Web sites.  Visit Getty Images at www.gettyimages.com/ to learn more about how the company is advancing the unique role of digital media in communications and business, and enabling creative ideas to come to life.