Re: [Leica] M and R

["Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>]

Ted,
Well, maybe it is not to late for some clever marketing for the R8. How
about for anybody who attends the upcoming LHSA meeting in Chicago; Buy any
R lens and get a R8 body for free. Might work.
Steve
Annapolis
- ----------
>From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Re: [Leica] M and R
>Date: Mon, Sep 6, 1999, 10:10 AM
>

>Eric Welch wrote:
>>Why not a titanium edition of the screw to M mount? :-)>>>>>>>
>
>Hi Eric,
>
>I see you're alive and back pounding the keys. :) Wondered if you were
>still kicking. If you make it to the "high end North West of the continent"
>come over to the "Big Island" and visit. :)
>
>Now about the <<<<<<titanium edition of the screw to M mount? >>>>>>>
>
>Eric I gotta say, I don't care what they make it out of as long as they
>make it affordable for the folks on the LUG and the rest of the
>photographers in the world, who have yet to learn the wonder of Leica
>glass. Yep with an M mount would be fine as that's where the new "wunder
>glass" is at the moment.
>
>It's all well and good to produce an absolute high end product, but what's
>the point of doing that if you're pricing yourself out of business? And in
>the case of the R8, probably the worst entry into a market since Leitz
>began making cameras! Released before it was truly ready, great promises of
>winders and motors (still waiting 4 years later) and obviously for some
>owners just a bloody nightmare of break downs, replacements and returns for
>servicing!
>
>This did not in any way enhance the Leica image of durability top line quality!
>
>There was a suggestion those attending the Akedamie receive an R8 body as
>an incentive to get started using Leica. A champion marketing idea, (given
>they have a glut of bodies sitting on the shelf, why not give a few away?)
>Great publicity. Or sell them for $500.00 a body.  But I'm afraid German
>marketing strategists aren't bright enough to see the "lost leader effect"
>that would create.
>
>Get an R8 body in the hands of a student and the majority wouldn't want to
>put  it down, therefore creating a customer for new R lenses. And possibly
>another body if the price was right.
>
>If, as we've heard the new CEO being a very sharp marketing person,
>turning a major furniture company into a huge profit operation, we may just
>see R8's  sold off just to get them into the market. But I wont hold my
>breathe, as they, Leica, have such a lousy marketing agency they'd increase
>the price instead, for whatever logic that might be.
>
>I'm no marketing guru, but Leica needs some very real imaginative marketing
>in their corner right now or as some have suggested, they are going down
>the tube if other manufacturers get on the range finder band wagon big time.
>
>IMHO.
>ted
>
>Ted Grant
>This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
>http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant
>
>