[illdefined]

"Just hold a Pentax. In the rain."

It may well be that they just have to spend some money in advertising. I mean big time, in your face all the time kind of advertising campaign. Visibility is what I think is needed. I just don't see Pentax stuff anywhere in Southern California. Yes you can go to photography specialty shops that may carry Pentax gear, but when I say presence perhaps they need to shove their stuff through Bestbuy, Costco, and places like that. But then again, I don't know how much of their revenue is from walk-in retails vs. on-line business. But as some comments suggest, nothing beats actually holding the camera and take some pics....

On the other hand, I do think that although they don't seem to know what they are doing with their marketing strategies(or lack thereof), perhaps they are where they want to be in terms of the market share with the infrastructures that they currently have. Maybe they are working with a certain formula with somewhat of a long-term goal with a revival of some sort at the moment. With Hoya in the mix it is even more complex, I am sure. Given the current economic climate with the near future outlook looking not so bright, it may well be more tricky than it appears to be.

[sezme]

"Just hold a Pentax. In the rain."

Best one yet. Most "think different", "be interesting" campaigns get tuned out of the savvy consumer's antennae. It's very easy to by cynical about touchy-feely messages these days because we've all seen so many empty words, that they just don't work any more. A simple slogan like "be interesting" is fine as long as there's some substance to it. Empty words don't count. I'd love to hear Ben's specific ideas, but I don't imagine he'd wish to post them on a forum like this for free.

Marketing campaigns are harder than they look, especially when you're in such a competitive field and two of your competitors are much bigger. I wish Hoya/Pentax well, though.

I personally had never considered Pentax until I saw the K10D preview on dpreview.com. It struck me as a really well-though-out camera that didn't condescend to the lowest common denominator (scene modes...). Then I started hanging around the Pentax forums and learning more about how good and unique their lenses are and how compatible the bodies are with older lenses. I'd previously gone along with the mainstream thinking Nikon's and Canon's lenses must be best since they're the biggest, and Pentax was somehow inferior. I actually think the ubiquitous K1000 "student camera" didn't do Pentax any favours in the branding department because it associated them with basic, inexpensive equipment. I think if Pentax can communicate what makes them special at any price, then their relatively lower prices can be the push to make them steal market share away from the big boys. If people see them as just a less expensive alternative to the big boys, they'll never get anywhere.

[huqedato]

What Pentax need now ?
After me, it's not about strategy, branding, craps but real facts. So, IMO, Pentax needs now some top notch products, I mean a real camera body: something lilke D700: full-frame high-end semi-pro system.

[Philippos]

Apple excels in having a man with a clear vision. The marketing is downhill from there.

Yet, they have one of the strongest brand names in the market. They're "hip". People buy macbooks because they think it makes them look cool - even though a $300 netbook would do their job.
They include 2 apple stickers in the Iphone retail box. Most cars in my town have an apple sticker on them - and people think it's cool.

Give the people a chance NOT to go with the flow. Give them a chance to feel they're part of something special, and they will follow. They WILL BUY.

I know most of you liked seeing George Harrison and David Bowie holding a Pentax. This is what should Pentax do.
People wouldn't care if Ansell Adams used a Pentax, but they would care if Madonna starts using one (not advertising one - actually using one and appearing with it in paparazzi shots).
This is how you create sales. It is how you create demand for your product. Make it more appealing, make it more special - and through it, make us feel special too.

If it actually goes for the action / adventure concept, there's a ton of shows about survival they should "infiltrate": "survivor", "ultimate survival", "against nature", "deadliest catch", "Ice Road" etc. Let the people in there record their adventures with a Pentax (now that it has video too). And advertise heavily on it.
Sponsor a Paris-Dakar photo rally and advertise heavily on it.

We know Pentax. Some of us breathe Pentax.
We will buy the new damn thing, no matter how good it is, or how much it sucks.
There's no need to tease us! Tease the others! Hell, let us KNOW what's coming and we'll tease them for you!
And when the time comes for the new camera. give us poor owners an extra discount.
We've been keeping Pentax alive through hard times - and we like to proud about it! Help us be!

[pcarfan]

There are various things that can be done to gain a niche. the top two concepts to exploit IMO are the weather seal and price.

Advertisement can concentrate on ruggedness, outdoorsy, and the masculinity that's associated with it to highlight the weather resistance.

OR

Do the Walmart thing to show the price to feature advantage.

I think a concentrated effort on the first idea for the two year period would be great as that can also be integrated with the 'walmart' theme later.

Ned, is going for the ipod theme, which is much more difficult.

[ftpaddict]

Apple excels in having a man with a clear vision. The marketing is downhill from there.

And with that man out of the running (for now), I've heard nothing but bad news from Apple. The new Shuffle is dreadful, developers are complaining about the App Store policies and delayed payments etc.

No, Pentax does not need any influence from Apple. I do not want Pentax to become a techno-yuppie's brand.

[monochrome]

There are various things that can be done to gain a niche. the top two concepts to exploit IMO are the weather seal and price.

Advertisement can concentrate on ruggedness, outdoorsy, and the masculinity that's associated with it to highlight the weather resistance.

OR

Do the Walmart thing to show the price to feature advantage.

I think a concentrated effort on the first idea for the two year period would be great as that can also be integrated with the 'walmart' theme later.

Ned, is going for the ipod theme, which is much more difficult.

Advertisement can combine appeal to a user "type" (discerning, uses quality tools, outcomes-oriented, outdoors) and take advantage of the current and continuing economic uncertainty (Discriminating, prudent).

Canon is just too flagrantly over-priced. Nikon is associated witih professional quality, but expensive. Pentax is the discerning user's compromise.

[Aristophanes]

I agree with the below. In order to market your product as different, it actually must be. The Mac is substantially different from Windows (and before that, hugely different from DOS).

Nowadays most camera makers are clones. What really differentiates is the ability to put together the right feature package at a decent price backed up y "this is what you want, and why you want it" marketing.

For Pentax:

1) Westher sealing
2) AA batteries for mid to low
3) Price
4) Rep for ruggedness
5) Prime lenses

Ruggedness (and by extent, weather sealing), BTW, are not marketing vectors aimed at men usually. They are traits women are more likely to be looking for. The Pentax K200D is a soccer mom camera.

Also, one of the most successful advertising campaigns in the last 30 years was by that company Pentax has associated with: Subaru. Subaru's ads sponsoring the US Alpine Ski Team were considered amongst the best at targeting a fairly broad market by focusing on a single aspect of that market: downhill skiers. Yet most people who bought Subaru's cars were not downhill skiers! They wanted those same attributes ("just in case").

That is the kind of marketing vision Pentax needs now.

TV ad:

Kids playing soccer. Looks like another ad for Tide.

Focus on one mom trying to take a photo of her kid, but the umbrella isn't co-operating, she's got her DSLR in a plastic bag (quick cut to a still photo of the plastic bag obscuring most of the action).

Frustrated she puts the camera away just as her kid does something cool with the ball. Pained look on her face.

Then she notices another woman happily snapping away with another DSLR (looks in the viewer's direction).

Camera pulls back to reveal a soccer mom unfazed by a little rain, whirring away with the new K-7 (cut to a K-7 in hand close-up, logo clearly visible).

The two soccer moms eyes' meet.

Pentax mom: "Should I send you a shot?"

Canikon mom: (nods, smiles wanly).

Pentax logo shot. Fade in underwriting:

Weatherproofing. Standard. On Pentax.

CUT

There are various things that can be done to gain a niche. the top two concepts to exploit IMO are the weather seal and price.

Advertisement can concentrate on ruggedness, outdoorsy, and the masculinity that's associated with it to highlight the weather resistance.

OR

Do the Walmart thing to show the price to feature advantage.

I think a concentrated effort on the first idea for the two year period would be great as that can also be integrated with the 'walmart' theme later.

Ned, is going for the ipod theme, which is much more difficult.

[Cambo]

This is the best Pentax ad that's never been made...let's shoot it...I'll do the music for you. We'll put it up on Youtube and it'll go viral for Pentax, and we'll both have ourselves a gig.

Nice work - hope they're listening...

Cheers,
Cameron

I agree with the below. In order to market your product as different, it actually must be. The Mac is substantially different from Windows (and before that, hugely different from DOS).

Nowadays most camera makers are clones. What really differentiates is the ability to put together the right feature package at a decent price backed up y "this is what you want, and why you want it" marketing.

For Pentax:

1) Westher sealing
2) AA batteries for mid to low
3) Price
4) Rep for ruggedness
5) Prime lenses

Ruggedness (and by extent, weather sealing), BTW, are not marketing vectors aimed at men usually. They are traits women are more likely to be looking for. The Pentax K200D is a soccer mom camera.

Also, one of the most successful advertising campaigns in the last 30 years was by that company Pentax has associated with: Subaru. Subaru's ads sponsoring the US Alpine Ski Team were considered amongst the best at targeting a fairly broad market by focusing on a single aspect of that market: downhill skiers. Yet most people who bought Subaru's cars were not downhill skiers! They wanted those same attributes ("just in case").

That is the kind of marketing vision Pentax needs now.

TV ad:

Kids playing soccer. Looks like another ad for Tide.

Focus on one mom trying to take a photo of her kid, but the umbrella isn't co-operating, she's got her DSLR in a plastic bag (quick cut to a still photo of the plastic bag obscuring most of the action).

Frustrated she puts the camera away just as her kid does something cool with the ball. Pained look on her face.

Then she notices another woman happily snapping away with another DSLR (looks in the viewer's direction).

Camera pulls back to reveal a soccer mom unfazed by a little rain, whirring away with the new K-7 (cut to a K-7 in hand close-up, logo clearly visible).

The two soccer moms eyes' meet.

Pentax mom: "Should I send you a shot?"

Canikon mom: (nods, smiles wanly).

Pentax logo shot. Fade in underwriting:

Weatherproofing. Standard. On Pentax.

CUT

[Rustyoldbug]

From a potential customer point of view, they need to just get the stuff out there. Yesterday was the big annual sale for what is suppose one of the better local camera shops here in San Diego. We went down - the SO wanted a backpack type bag for her Canon and the "Deathstar" lens she bought for it. I went along to grab some ilford film and to look at the Pentax digital bodies in person since they are suppose to be a Pentax Dealer.

There were factory reps there for the big sale from tons of companies - a lady from Tamrac spent a good 20-25 minutes with my fiance helping her try her camera in multiple bags to find the right one. The whole counter was full of people crowded around the Nikon rep as he gave his pitch (reminded me of the snake oil guy you see portrayed in the old westerns), another crowded counter for the Tamron guy. There were other counters not so crowded, but reps were there - Sony, Canon, etc...

In the whole place there was a case with a few models of Pentax binoculars and another case that had a couple of Pentax Optio point and shoot cameras - not a Pentax DSLR in sight - no promo material, no posters, nothing - very discouraging. As a customer in the market for a DSLR - It makes me wonder what the Pentax folks are thinking and hesitate on a big purchase because I don't want to drop money on a new Pentax body and have it be orphaned like an Amiga computer in a year or two...

Since I mentioned Amiga Computers - Pentax marketing reminds me of Commodore's marketing when they started making Amiga computers (laugh if you must - they were actually great computers ahead of their time)...

[filorp]

Doesn't matter what you guys think about haw gooood and haw inexpensive is k20d, it still cannot compete with canikon regarding AF speed and FPS which is main reason why paparazzi and sport shooters buys the camera. There are some factors which makes the photography job or fun easier and more comfortable - canikons got used to us to this factors and consumer accepted it, not because of ads in TV but because of real advantages. Having flag ship modern and fully acceptable by proffesionals model, makes peopple buy lower models. Lets face the true: number of photograffers using brand X during olimpic games makes peopple buy brand X. S-Fi Commertials in TV doesn't. Oly has cameras with LCD tilting in all directions, they started with Live view - so what? They don't have what has Canikon. P has sealed body fantastic lenses - so what if you can't use it all the way because AF hunts. Doesn't matter if you use your camera at the studio or the stadium - its always better to have better AF then worse - and nobady convince me to different point. Tertium non datur...

[vinzer]

What Pentax need now ?
After me, it's not about strategy, branding, craps but real facts. So, IMO, Pentax needs now some top notch products, I mean a real camera body: something lilke D700: full-frame high-end semi-pro system.

Oh, woe is me! I have been buying fake camera bodies all along!

[vinzer]

This is the best Pentax ad that's never been made...let's shoot it...I'll do the music for you. We'll put it up on Youtube and it'll go viral for Pentax, and we'll both have ourselves a gig.

Nice work - hope they're listening...

Cheers,
Cameron

I do hope you can shoot a viral video and get it out. You guys might even be put on Pentax's payroll if it turns out to be a success.

Doesn't matter what you guys think about haw gooood and haw inexpensive is k20d, it still cannot compete with canikon regarding AF speed and FPS which is main reason why paparazzi and sport shooters buys the camera. There are some factors which makes the photography job or fun easier and more comfortable - canikons got used to us to this factors and consumer accepted it, not because of ads in TV but because of real advantages. Having flag ship modern and fully acceptable by proffesionals model, makes peopple buy lower models. Lets face the true: number of photograffers using brand X during olimpic games makes peopple buy brand X. S-Fi Commertials in TV doesn't. Oly has cameras with LCD tilting in all directions, they started with Live view - so what? They don't have what has Canikon. P has sealed body fantastic lenses - so what if you can't use it all the way because AF hunts. Doesn't matter if you use your camera at the studio or the stadium - its always better to have better AF then worse - and nobady convince me to different point. Tertium non datur...

The E-3, E-30, and A700 have good AF and FPS but still isn't bought by the masses. Why? It's all about marketing, and this is what this thread is about. You can try and minimize the impact of marketing all you want, but what you're only doing is closing your eyes, covering your ears, and say "lalalalalala" over and over again.

[monochrome]

I do hope you can shoot a viral video and get it out. You guys might even be put on Pentax's payroll if it turns out to be a success.

They'd end up on Pentaxian.com

The E-3, E-30, and A700 have good AF and FPS but still isn't bought by the masses. Why? It's all about marketing, and this is what this thread is about. You can try and minimize the impact of marketing all you want, but what you're only doing is closing your eyes, covering your ears, and say "lalalalalala" over and over again.

Marketing includes getting cameras into the hands of visible professional photographers. If Pentax is serious about pro shooters, the 645D is the key.

I saw an article in St. Louis Magazine about our emerging loft district, and the people who are moving there. One was a nice young woman fashion photographer. She had a 67 in her hands in every working shot in the spread.