Re: [Leica] Hermes & Leica

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

Praise the Lord, and pass the Caberet Sauvignon!  :o)

Dan ( Writhing in the grip of the grape!) Post
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Emanuel Lowi" <mano@proxyma.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2000 7:02 PM
Subject: [Leica] Hermes & Leica


> I am not worried...yet.
> In a previous life I was a professional wine taster (a dirty job but
somebody's gotta
> do it) and I still follow the industry. In the past few years a few huge
companies
> have bought up small, top-notch wine making properties. While these
acquisitions at
> first deeply offended the sensibilities of the traditionalist camp, the
results from
> a quality perspective AND from a marketing perspective have been laudable.
> I'm thinking about the purchase of Weingut Robert Weil  in Kiedrich (since
the 1700s)
> by Japanese distillery giant Suntory. Weil's wines have since gone on to
become the
> best in Germany. I feel lucky when I get the chance to taste them.
> The takeover last year of Chateau d'Yquem by the Louis Vuitton/Moet
Hennesy group was
> contested by one branch of the Lur Saluces family, while the rest sold to
the
> handbag/cognac/champagne conglomerate. The new owners haven't changed a
thing at the
> property, even keeping the objecting shareholders on staff.
> While the analogies are not perfect, I don't think Hermes (or anyone else)
would buy
> into Leica in order to destroy it by devaluing what it produces. They're
looking for
> a way to broaden their own image by associating themselves with a
top-quality leader
> in an industry they haven't got a connection with, yes, but they probably
see an
> opportunity to cross-market some products.
> Given that Solms and Wetzlar have a history of producing a periodic stream
of bijoux
> products (going back to the Luxus of 1929) this isn't as outrageous as
some are
> suggesting.  I suspect Leica will benefit from the association as much as
Hermes, and
> if this gets them money to do some innovative R&D, I'd say - "Lafayette,
we are
> here!"
>
> Emanuel Lowi
> Montreal
>