More Shiny Happy People: On Marquis Who's Who Use of Stock Photos

The below stock photo appears with the caption "Marquis Who’s Who believes the men and women around the globe whose achievements influence the people of today are worthy of permanent record, and we are proud to provide their biographical information for public record and for posterity." Really?

Recalling LLB's June 2010 post on the use of stock photos of models used by Lexis, WestlawNext, and AALL's Spectrum, Kent Olson, Director of Reference, Research and Instruction, University of Virginia School of Law Library, called Marquis Who's Who use of stock photos to my attention last week. He wrote

Are these supposed to be 'the men and women around the globe whose achievements influence the people of today'? Or are they 'the people of today' in the process of being influenced?

Damn good question, Kent. I think the models in the photo represent the target age group of the people who are being influenced, just like the use of similar photos by Lexis, TR Legal and even our own professional association. Time for REM's Shiny Happy People video. Do note the wind-up toy monkey drummers at the start of the music video. [JH]