Originally posted by eddie1960 Small share in Asia currently is moot. it is the biggest emerging market (particularly China and India) and pursuing that market is required. Share everywhere is minimal, Japan being the strongest followed by Europe. If as you say Ricoh has a good presence then there are distribution channels in place for Pentax to leverage.
Given the population of China and India even a small share will amount to more sales than a bigger share in Europe or the US
I don't disagree.
You just have to consider that Pentax is starting from very very far in those key markets.
As you say, a small share may amount to bigger sales than in Europe; however, to reach that threshold, Pentax WILL have to spend SO MUCH in advertisement that I am not convinced it is going to happen anytime soon.
Guys in India and China buy products that will reinforce their social status, their image.
When you have ad campaigns with Jacky Chan using a Canon, it's hard to fight back. Distribution channels will not change anything in that case. Pentax could have the best camera ever, it still wouldn't sell that well because of lack of image.
In Western markets however, we kind of know it doesn't work completely that way, which is why Pentax is performing a bit better. Making products that have a better price/performance ratio than the competition is something that actually works.
Ricoh has better presence than Pentax, but still lightyears away from the other guys.
Meaning you get to actually see some models, in some shops. Better than "Oh, didn't they go bankrupt?" when asking about Pentax.
You see Canikon & co in ANY shop... With multiple lenses.
I repeat, I am basically not disagreeing with you. I am saying that increasing the distribution channels should come in support of increased communication efforts. Just making the bodies go on the shelves will not help as much as you say, and as it stands NOW, it is wasted effort.
South-East asians/Chinese/Indians are very sensitive to products from Japan and the West, and are also very sensitive to products "carried" by their icons. If you want to have some kind of success without that, you will be limited to a small success. Very small.
Here, buying brand identity as you say isn't so cheap. That's the problem.