[kooks]

I was thinking about an easy marketing tool for Pentax, and i thought that could be nice and helpful in some way if Pentax include a couple of stickers with their products. and i say this, because just for example Apple do this, and works like a charm for them, you can see cars, computers, desks and other kind of things with the Apple logo, free marketing and proud owners. I think is an easy and really cheap way to promote the Pentax brand.

I would for sure put a little modest and nice Pentax sticker at my car or computer cover.

[lightbox]

Agree that it's easy, cheap, and effective marketing. 100%. People would start to think about Pentax if they saw the logo more often.

Can't relate it to Apple, though. The Apple logo itself is not a word, just a simple object that is arguably artful / pleasing. It fits well in so many applications (such as a badge) that some "PENTAX" lettering would perhaps not fit or be as pleasing. When I look at the Intel sticker on my computer, for example, the lettering just kills it. "Intel inside" O.k. Great. Thanks for verifying that I got what I paid for, but I'm not wearing that or putting it on my car.

[kooks]

Correct .. the Apple thing was more because they do this kind of marketing and is really effective.One problem that we all know is the lack of marketing, with this little thing at least they ensure that some people will use their logo at some things, and the Pentax brand will become more familiar.. It will take time, yes.. but is a little thing that works.. and is nice to have.

[reeftool]

I agree. Brand recognition is an important thing. Pentax is well known among baby boomers but almost unknown among younger folks. Pentax has a long legacy. In recent years there has been a complete lack of marketing of any kind, at least in the US. A single ad on the outfield wall of a few ball parks is very effective. Viewers see those Canon and Nikon signs several times an inning. T-shirts, hats, coffee mugs all get the name out there. They have appeared sporadically on the Pentax website through the years. Most of all, they need to get their stuff in stores.

[lightbox]

Most of all, they need to get their stuff in stores.

That's a big problem; They seem to be concentrating online only, and I'm not really sure why. Is it to save money? Is it because they're targeting millennials who prefer to shop online? If it's the latter, then I'm not really feeling the outreach. Pentax ads only started showing up for me when I joined this forum and bought my camera.

BestBuy sells Pentax kits on their website. However when I went to a local store, not only were there no Ricoh products in the camera displays, but the sales guy also had no clue what I was talking about.

One way to interpret this is that Ricoh aren't confident enough to put their product side-by-side with the competition on shelves, where people can inspect and compare. Perhaps they figure that people will have a higher tendency to just hit "buy" online, fueled by some hype and glowing reviews. Perhaps they don't want to subject themselves to ignorant shoppers and are targeting the well-informed? Trying to be optimistic, but I really don't know.

[Rupert]

They need a symbol...like Apple. Otis has volunteered his likeness, but Ricoh isn't interested...although they did say they would love to have him over FOR dinner.
It would be hard to forget Otis if he had on a Pentax Forums T-shirt that said....

"I was just shot by a Pentax...makes me smile!"


Regards!

[reeftool]

That's a big problem; They seem to be concentrating online only, and I'm not really sure why. Is it to save money? Is it because they're targeting millennials who prefer to shop online? If it's the latter, then I'm not really feeling the outreach. Pentax ads only started showing up for me when I joined this forum and bought my camera.

BestBuy sells Pentax kits on their website. However when I went to a local store, not only were there no Ricoh products in the camera displays, but the sales guy also had no clue what I was talking about.

One way to interpret this is that Ricoh aren't confident enough to put their product side-by-side with the competition on shelves, where people can inspect and compare. Perhaps they figure that people will have a higher tendency to just hit "buy" online, fueled by some hype and glowing reviews. Perhaps they don't want to subject themselves to ignorant shoppers and are targeting the well-informed? Trying to be optimistic, but I really don't know.

Our local Best Buy only sells entry level DSLR's and only Nikon and Canon. If I drive 50 miles south to the Albany area, there is a large Best Buy that sells the full line of Nikon and Canon along with a whole slew of mirrorless cameras but no Pentax. People like to hold a camera in their hands before purchasing. It's a well known fact that Best Buy is an unofficial "showroom" for Amazon. People go into the stores, check out the products they are interested in and learn what they need and then go shopping online for the best price.

I'm not going to say this is right but it's done. I do it myself to some extent, especially with computer related stuff. Go check out that new monitor and then order the one you like from Newegg. Since Best Buy sells Pentax online, I think the policy to not sell them in stores probably rests with Best Buy, not Pentax unless they maintain zero stock and the cameras are shipped from another source.

[lightbox]

It's a well known fact that Best Buy is an unofficial "showroom" for Amazon.

That's a really good point.

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

Ditto for our stores here... only entry level and mid-level canikon stuff. Think the highest level camera I've seen in a store around here is a Canon 60D or a Nikon 5000 series. I do find this one fact odd... when I handed both of my mother and sister my camera to play around with, they both complained it was heavy.... and I own a K-50. I take the weight to mean built well. Maybe they're both weaklings... lol. As for apple with the sticker thing.... they've done that as long as I can remember. We got apple logo stickers with our IIgs back in '86 or '87. Stickers are definitely viable marketing though, collected a ton of them for paintball gear. More effective, possibly would be an advertising campaign similar to the Mike Rowe Ford commercials where they go around letting people try the cameras and lenses and provide recorded or written testimonial.

[kooks]

The problem with having cameras/products in stores is that this stores will need to buy this cameras, and they should ensure that this products are good sallers, so, to acomplish that the products need to have good marketing. Not many stores are willing to buy Pentax products cuz not many people know the brand so i think that before getting this stores to buy inventory they need to do some marketing, little but efficient stuffs.. To sell online is not bad, but they need to acomplish this with some heavy publicity at Google, Youtube, etc. Actually selling only online is not at all, but once again, the key is to have a good marketing.

[Kerrowdown]

Wouldn't it be nice

I though this is where this thread was going from the title.

Wouldn't it be nice if we were older
Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
And wouldn't it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong

I guess you've got to be of a certain age...

[Nakedgun]

"Oh, wouldn't it be nice?"

[Rupert]

Wouldn't it be nice....if all squirrels could fly, not just some?



Regards!

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

I though this is where this thread was going from the title.

Wouldn't it be nice if we were older
Then we wouldn't have to wait so long
And wouldn't it be nice to live together
In the kind of world where we belong

I guess you've got to be of a certain age...

Don't worry kerrowdown, I've been sorely tempted to make that joke since I first spotted the thread....

[EddyP]

Effective marketing... I like it! Pitch it