Re: [Leica] How you can give your image that professional touch

["Bill Larsen" <ohlen@lightspeed.net>]

Pascal writes:


>Has anyone seen the R8 advertisement in the English version
of Leica
>Fotografie International?


When I first read the ad copy, my thought was this is
terrible.
When I read it again, my thought was this is horrible.
Yet another reading, my thought was they have lost their
corporate mind.

I don't know what demographic profile they are trying to
reach.  But I do know the first time you quote their
reasoning to anyone, you will be laughed out of existence by
amateurs and pros.  Nigel somewhat covered the reasons in
another posting.  What ever happened to "the Leica Way?"

Why can't they promote from the strengths rather than
"dilettante" appeal?  I think of the Timex watch --- "takes
a licking and keeps on ticking."  Better strategies
immediately come to mind.  Some are:

Continuing the tradition -  Perhaps a SL from 1968 still in
professional use --- and the latest - an R8.  Mix and match
lenses.

Value is a tradition -  Perhaps an M3 that is still in use
and cost $xxx new and is now worth $xxxx used after a couple
of thousand rolls of film.

Passport warranty -  (this could be great if the US warranty
would add fire --- then they could play around with Passport
through hell --- you drop it we'll fix it).

Defying the herd - Perhaps a pix of Ted at the Games with
his R8 surrounded by C****s and N****s.

There are all types of reasons to own an R8 (R6.2, M6)
system.  But impressing (?) fellow photographers has never
been a practical one for me.  (Hell, if you want to be
impressive, buy a long, wide tube and paint it white ;-))

I am sure that LUGGERS can come up with a thousand advert
scenarios that are based on the true strengths of the system
and "Leica Way."

IMNHO, Leica needs to rethink what they are doing and the
Corporate image they are sending.  I seriously doubt that
very many people buy a Leica M or R and the optics as their
first experience in photography.  They get to Leicamania
through experience and probably a certain amount of mania.

Regards,  vonohlen@lightspeed.net