[Leica] Leica donation to students - TO BOB COLE

[leicagalpal at earthlink.net (Kit McChesney)]

Didier--

You are absolutely right. The ads should focus on great pictures, and a
subtle reference to the gear. Or if the gear is shown, show it in combat
situations, or in rough conditions, images that will communicate to people
that the cameras are built to last, and are tough as nails, and capable of
producing--in good hands--terrific images. That would be a better approach.
I though the recent 'hands ads' were ineffective, myself. Who is the
intended audience? Half the photographers nobody ever heard of. Okay,
Salgado, Nan Goldin, and Ralph Gibson, they're fine. 

Kit 

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+leicagalpal=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+leicagalpal=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Didier Ludwig
Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2004 1:07 PM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica donation to students - TO BOB COLE

Bob,

Not shure about that. What do you mean with "important people"? They might 
be prominent, but they don't know more about photography than I know about 
growing bananas in Alaska.

With gun-press-prominents as key visual, you don't sell one more Leica 
camera neither to the particular niche customers like we LUGers are, nor to 
retired lawyers and dentists, nor to anyone else...

Leica's image is different. Leica stands for mechanical and optical 
perfection, constancy of a standard, life-long quality, and not for 
something short-dated like show-biz oder sports.

Leica is not a status symbol. It's a myth. And a brillant tool for those 
who know how to appreciate it.

Leica ad campaigns should focus on great photographs. Outstanding, 
full-page-sized, black & white photographs, with a little red dot in the 
corner.

Didier

>If I were Leica, I'd design an advertising campaign fashioned along  the
line
>of Rolex's highly successful ad program  -- running  photos in upscale
>magazines and newspapers of well-known people who wear the  Rolex watch.
>There are lots of important people who own Leicas and I am sure  Leica
>knows who they are --movie stars, sports figures, business tycoons,
fashion
>figures and so on.
>All Leica would have to do is ask them and give them a free camera  [plus
>the usual fee.]
>You could show, say, Dolly Parton, [if she owns a Leica] say  something
>like, " Darlin', I ain't much of a photographer but when I want to 
>be  sure the
>picture comes out, this is the camera I use.'' --bob  cole



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