Originally posted by Winder Ricoh needs to be paying attention to video blogs. Those guys need content to keep their channel relevant and Ricoh needs exposure. The guy on Cameraville has been doing a lot of Pentax reviews. He's not very polished, but he is getting better. Those things take a lot of time and you have to be dedicated to it. IF you can get over the 1 million subscribers mark there is some money in it.
When you realize how little it costs to run a YouTube channel relative to the exposure you gain, you would think Ricoh would sponsor their own channel. Of course you have to have content and be able to communicate and Ricoh's not very good at either of those. The FujiGuys channel is pretty decent for a manufacturers channel.
Marketing online requires a huge number of exposures for a LONG time over multiple channels. Developing online content is a lot of work requiring a serious, dedicated commitment.
My son owns a very successful Lacrosse athletic equipment store (quite specialized) using social media as his lone marketing channel. He's taken 30,000 images and hundreds of minutes of video YTD (including GoPro and drone) posting on FB, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, YouTube, Twitter Stream, ICloud subscription, his commercial website and probably others I don't know. He's done professional vids (product reviews) for Brands on his YT Channel. He supports Lacrosse in the area financially ('Grow the Game' is his branded Corporate sponsorship tag) everywhere and has made it his business to know the coaches, players and PARENTS in the area personally.
I swear he does more marketing for a 5000 sq. ft. store than RIAC does for an entire continent.