[Leica] [ OFF TOPIC ] Bitching against Kodak

[Andre Jean Quintal <megamax@abacom.com>]

[ OFF TOPIC ]

	Let me bitch against Eastman Kodak a little:

	Kodak's marketing is so much "Dinky Toy"
	that I'm convinced that's what killed their
	dominant position in the professional markets...
	and general customer relations neglect...
	with an "aloof" position to match.

	Letting go Kodachrome as they did gives one
	an idea how bad quarter-to-quarter business as usual management
	can get: they easily could come out with
	an ISO 100 Kodachrome III Pro that just about
	matches all the Kodachrome II qualities PLUS 2 f/stops.
	Twenty years later, where is it ?
	One stupid ass even let go of the distinctive
	"kodachrome" ID slide mounts...
	And dumped basic "flag ship" product marketing notions...

	I suspect Kodachrome will be history less than
	2 years from now, unfortunately.

	[ Then, the PORTRA advertising I got, I MOST definitely
	would N-E-V-E-R want my photos to look like that
	in a million years ! [ V.G. low sharpness, poor contrast, bad
composition,
	orange-caramel skin (yuk!), static model posing, bad copywriting,
	non fashion savvy wardrobe, antique "auntie" model make-up & hair,
	nothing discriminating, nothing exciting, no freebie coupons,
	instant trash can stuff,
	"ambiance" lifestyle advertising to a professional audience,
	weak and amateurish pseudo everything..
	including the compressed uninspired "available light" lighting,
	small non-informative type, certainly not
	done by high grade photography minded people,
	(we're talking about Eastman Kodak here !!!!! ),
	not even fit for a Hillbilly camping ground's mail-out ! ]

 	Marketing wise, Kodak would better shore up its
	ISO 200 color neg market entries: that's a weak spot
	amateurs love and pros might latch onto, media wise.
	relative to non-dominant Fuji and Agfa products there,
	(AGFA failed to push onward with their Optima II line
	BUT it could still become a marketing success story...)
	given a high performance Kodak Pro 200 HR, for instance,
	that would incorporate the newer ROYAL Gold 100 and APS 24mm
	mask / emulsion technologies,
	AND try to compete Fuji CS Reala 100 head on,
	with a full f/stop headroom, as example in point.

	Or an all out re-marketing charge with the Kodak Pro line...
	to redirect / counter the Fuji driven market share erosion:
	it could be done but would require a much sharper Photo Editor
	and a more strategic minded advertising / marketing executive,
	someone other than a bean counter + who has real world photo credits,
	the bean counters coming in second for a while,
	ready to remarket the Kodak Pro line with less bland
	packaging, contest winning grade photography, informative copy
	that's better than a sermon (I almost fell off my bench this Sunday),
	brilliant point-of-sale materials, trippy ad gizmos and a very keen
	customer directed attitude and business practice. Most unlikely...

	The other Fuji color neg product Eastman Kodak needs to beat is
	Fuji Superia CZ Super 800 Plus: NOT a done deal !
	[ Imagine if Fuji wakes up and offers medium format CZ 800 !!!
	Fuji could blast that market apart in < six months' time,
	sucking up almost everything ISO 400 to 1600 in the process.]
	Whoever is running Fuji very much deserves deep kudos...
	I admire that corporation, both as a business and for its
	"aggressive" product development, products/services
	and "take nothing for granted" marketing and communications:
	witness the results!

	Get the picture ?

	Andre Jean Quintal



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   "Only when it's dark enough
    can you see the stars."

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