[Leica] Re: The Leica brand

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> 
> On Aug 12, 2007, at 9:25 AM, Hoppy wrote:
> 
>> Mark, a fun but perceptive post. No question that the Japanese
>> giants seek to add the German premium quality perception to their
>> marketing. Who knows how much money changes hands in these
>> arrangements? Maybe the M line is largely a flagship product.
>> Personally
>> I really hope that is not so.
> 
> 
> I'm shocked, shocked to learn that Leica elves in Wetzlar do not make
> all Leica branded products. In my photo closet I have a "Leica"
> Digilux by Fuji, a "Leica" 90 mm lens by Wollensak, a "Leica CL" by
> Minolta, a "Leica" meter by Gossen. My wife has a "Leica" Digilux by
> Panasonic. Naturally Leica permitted all these companies to put the
> Leica name on their products out of pure altruism.
> 
> But does putting a German premium optical name on a consumer product
> do any good? My nephew, who manages a Best Buy store in Plano, Texas
> says no. Most people buying consumer grade digital cameras know the
> names, Sony, Panasonic, and Canon. That's what they ask for. They
> couldn't care less about those sausage sounding German brand names of
> a photo generation long past. Leica, Zeiss, and Schneider labels may
> lend a product credibility to photographers of a certain age but real
> photographers don't buy P&S digitals. It's like GM putting the name
> Dusenberg on a Chevrolet. Who would believe it? More important, who
> cares?
> 
> Larry Z
> 

I think the target market they wish to impress are Yuppies with pimped out
Audi's. And if this marketing scheme didn't work why does it dominate do
much?
I guess Canon doesn't do it who else?
You gotta figure it must work.

The only major German optical company not emblazoned on the front of plastic
Japanese point and shoot digitals at Circuit City is Rodenstock.
Rodenstock makes money in the lens biz the old fashioned way.
They grind it.

And polish it.


Polish not Publish



Mark William Rabiner
Harlem, NY

rabinergroup.com