Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Paul T. Collura wrote: > > > > Paul T. Collura wrote: > > > > > I think R lens prices are hurting R sales. Really, who has this > kind > > > of money? And even if you are wealthy can you spend these sums in > good > > > conscience on lenses if you are not a professional photographer? > A > > > few choice lenses will cost more than a car. > > > > Well..... the USA has more than a million millionaires, so there > seem to > > be lots of people with plenty of cash > > Bernard: > > I know plenty of "rich" people who drive $60,000-$100,000 cars and > wear $10,000 to $15,000 watches > but none of them would spend the $12,000 to $30,000 required to get > into the Leica R Modular system. > Many of these people are physicians and lawyers. In fact none of them > even own a Leica. The reason > is that much cheaper systems do as good a job for them and let's face > it, you can't drive up to the > Country Club in a Leica. There is no perceived added value in a > Leica. It may be about priorities, > but among the people that I know with high disposable income, a > Mercedes or BMW is an easier sell > than a Leica. I understand that you can't drive a Leica, but you also can't drive the $15,000 watch you mention. Hence, Leica is doing a bad job at marketing their products as the ultimate and most prestigious "must haves". I could easily see someone drive up to the Country Club in a BMW, then conspicuously stare at his Audemars Piquet, to then take out a Leica for a picture of the regulars, such that they all turn green with envy at seeing the red dot. Leica should really push harder to position itself in a "you're not there if you don't have a Leica" sort of way. Mark Rabiner had some fabulous slogans to this end, I recall. Bernard