Originally posted by northcoastgreg Pentax has to actively court professionals.
I completely disagree. That's 1980's marketing at work.
In the 1970's to 1990's people followed the tech used by pros. There was a hierarchy of experience and a "name" user could sell a brand.
No longer. In many cases (Flickr has an abundance) amateurs have equaled and even surpassed pros. Hardly anyone even reads the old school "pro" magazines; they're all on life support, surpassed by forums such as this and DP Review, Luminous Landscapes, The Online Photographer, Rangefinder Forums, Fred Miranda, etc. ON these opinion sites there is a democracy of opinions, so it is perilous for a company to select one as the most influential. That tactic has no reach anymore. people are as likely to argue with the endorsement as they are to agree with it, like we argue here.
In marketing I have watched the near-disappearance of the celebrity endorsements along with the semi-obscure, know-it-all "pro" (who most people have never heard of) talking up his or her favourite product. We no longer trust a single voice (or even the manufacturer's claims) but are far more willing to check out a product's rating on Amazon, DP Review, or here on PF.
I the 1970's Canon actually moved away from "pro" endorsements precisely because it caused price confusion for consumer. Pro = expensive. instead they got non-pro photogs to endorse. Bruce Jenner, etc.
These days what sells is the Everyman or Woman concept and the personalization agenda (K-x colours, case in point). Our product is perfect for you: here's why. Who cares what a National Geographic shooter uses? You don't shoot for National Geo. You shoot for your inner circle shared on Facebook and Flickr.