Pentax = All Weather.

GerryL · 08-22-2009, 03:05 PM

Originally posted by ktwse

Advertising is only part of the story. If Pentax is going to be the All-Weather Camera Company (that does sound good, doesn't it?) they're going to have to prove that commitment through the product first. Being in advertising, I'm always wary of brands who want to push claims they can't back up 100% - that almost always backfires. There's a lot of half-arsed attempts at driving a certain positioning, and right now you have to wonder why Pentax has launched two WR kit lenses. Are they planning on upgrading their entire range or is it just a gimmick to highlight the AW/WR features of the K-7? I certainly hope it's the former...

I do think that if they are committed, you could do really brilliant advertising without it costing an arm and a leg. I can think of a number of ideas on how to activate such a proposition in both broad media and more viral ways.

John - that's what I felt as well. Hopefully at least someone at Pentax reads these pages...

Thomas

I am saying advertising as they can't claim or position their brand as "all weather" yet.
Sure they can claim a niche for some of their products but if you position the Pentax brand as "all weather", then you have to make sure that ALL the products that Pentax carries are all weather.
I too come from advertising and maybe Pentax is being careful as how to position its name (Pentax brand name) as Pentax is not only cameras and certainly not all it's cameras are weatherproof.
The trick is to do advertising selectively on their strong products and on the Pentax legacy.

reeftool · 08-28-2009, 12:08 PM

I don't think Pentax has a marketing campaign. When I started looking to buy a DSLR, I looked for Pentax because I had Pentax film cameras. They may be able to rely on brand loyalty for a while but sooner or later they will need to get their products into the hands of a younger generation who didn't grow up with the Pentax name being known as one of the best. I wanted a DSLR that would hold up to the outside elements of Upstate NY and New England. So far my camera has performed well. They should advertise their cameras as such. They hardly seem to advertise at all.

bladerunner0427 · 08-28-2009, 06:19 PM

Maybe Pentax should have their weather-sealed cameras and lenses sold in stores like REI. Just a thought. I do agree that Pentax needs to differentiate their products and do some kind of marketing to get the word out. Hell, I wish I could buy a Pentax shirt from their website. I'd wear it.

nickthetasmaniac · 09-01-2009, 05:20 AM

I totally agree that Pentax should go 'all' all-weather. That includes sealing for every body, and a sealed top, middle and bottom-end lens option for every significant focal range.

CaNikon have speed and the 'pro' system.
Olympus have compactness (excluding the E-3) and incredibly sharp ZD lenses.
Sony have incredible corporate power.
Pentax have .....???? Limited lenses?

Pentax need one significant distinguishing factor, weathersealing is something they already do well and should capitalise on.

I'd also run an ad campaign using 'user' photos, taken in the field, rather than dull as shit, set-up, studio shots...

pentaxian_tmb · 09-01-2009, 08:14 AM

I think everyone agrees pentax needs more marketting. I also agree with the "all-weather" angle. However, I would expand the concept to market Pentax as "old reliable." I think an ad compaign going through Pentax's history and then pushing the fact that they make solid, sugged, dependable cameras at a lower price and with more features than others would be effective. "Do you want to purchase a fashion accessory, or a reliable camera?"

johnmflores · 09-01-2009, 02:53 PM

Originally posted by nickthetasmaniac

I totally agree that Pentax should go 'all' all-weather. That includes sealing for every body, and a sealed top, middle and bottom-end lens option for every significant focal range.

CaNikon have speed and the 'pro' system.
Olympus have compactness (excluding the E-3) and incredibly sharp ZD lenses.
Sony have incredible corporate power.
Pentax have .....???? Limited lenses?

Pentax need one significant distinguishing factor, weathersealing is something they already do well and should capitalise on.

I'd also run an ad campaign using 'user' photos, taken in the field, rather than dull as shit, set-up, studio shots...

Well then, let's get started! There is clearly a lot of support for the brand as evidenced by the activity on this forum. We're all photographers. We also have designers, writers, ad people, and the other skills need to put together a great ad campaign. If Pentax corporate won't do it, why shouldn't we?

Who's in? I'm not joking...

stl_stadtroller · 09-01-2009, 02:56 PM

As a dedicated ADVenture Rider and Syncronaut, I enthusiastically second your motion.

ktwse · 09-03-2009, 04:16 AM

Originally posted by T_MB

I think everyone agrees pentax needs more marketting. I also agree with the "all-weather" angle. However, I would expand the concept to market Pentax as "old reliable." I think an ad compaign going through Pentax's history and then pushing the fact that they make solid, sugged, dependable cameras at a lower price and with more features than others would be effective. "Do you want to purchase a fashion accessory, or a reliable camera?"

I would honestly focus on "All Weather" rather than reliable. The beauty of communicating ruggedness is that it implicitly states a lot about reliability, while maintaining a more unique spin on it. Also, with the number of old Leicas, Nikons Canons etc still out there, a number of manufacturers could claim reliability.

Originally posted by johnmflores

Well then, let's get started! There is clearly a lot of support for the brand as evidenced by the activity on this forum. We're all photographers. We also have designers, writers, ad people, and the other skills need to put together a great ad campaign. If Pentax corporate won't do it, why shouldn't we?

Who's in? I'm not joking...

I have a few ideas on how to do such a campaign... The first thing I would ask of the good people of this forum is to show your best shots from scenic places with horrible conditions. I'm thinking on top of Mt Everest, in the middle of the storm in The Perfect Storm and such...

johnmflores · 09-03-2009, 08:06 AM

Originally posted by ktwse

I have a few ideas on how to do such a campaign... The first thing I would ask of the good people of this forum is to show your best shots from scenic places with horrible conditions. I'm thinking on top of Mt Everest, in the middle of the storm in The Perfect Storm and such...

Yes yes yes! Even better if your All Weather Pentax was in the shot! And as much as we'd like the shot on Everest, a shot at the local pool with one of the Optios, or a shot at the local mountain biking park or on a kayak would be good too. The idea of All Weather, you see, gives consumers something to aspire to (i.e., Everest), yet see as a benefit to their daily life (i.e., swimming pool).

This is definitely a buzz-worthy project. We can develop a campaign that gets mentioned in photo blogs, birding blogs, travel websites, outdoor sites, etc... while showcasing the passion and creativity of PentaxForum members.

I can see the headline in the advertising trade pubs now..."Passionate Pentax Owners Take Brand in Their Own Hands, Develop Ad Campaign" !!!

johnmflores · 09-03-2009, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Pentax claims the camera is weather proof, so I let it sit out in the rain while I sat in my tent reading the manual, two hours later the rain stopped and the camera worked fine.

This is the kind of stuff that I'm talking about!

Someone else posted this story elsewhere but I want to repost it here as possible source material. Similarly, we could pull quotes from the high altitude story and the deep sea story and connect them to related imagery...

Arpe · 09-03-2009, 05:12 PM

Or shots like this?

johnmflores · 09-03-2009, 06:43 PM

Here's a quick sketch of what a print ad could look like:

Anybody else have photos to play with? Any designers out there willing to take a swing at this?

Arpe · 09-03-2009, 06:48 PM

Ha! Sweeeeet!

**Rorschach** · 09-04-2009, 02:30 AM

Originally posted by johnmflores

Here's a quick sketch of what a print ad could look like:

Anybody else have photos to play with? Any designers out there willing to take a swing at this?

Nice. This is a very good start. I hope JCPentax reads this thread and nudges someone up there and things start moving. And if they do, you should get something out of it, a free 600mm star lens for example!

johnmflores · 09-06-2009, 06:42 PM

Everything on the page, Chris, is weather sealed. And the funny thing is that since we aren't being compensated by Pentax, we can do whatever we want, LOL, or at least they send us a cease and desist letter...

BTW, you stated before that you worked for a Japanese camera manufacturer in the 80s. You don't seem to have a lot of positive to say about it, at least with respect to their willingness and/or ability to listen to and engage with customers. Do you think that's still true? Do you think that all Japanese camera manufacturers are similarly closed-off?

I'm curious, because I wonder if the Japanese manufacturers are so set in their ways - incrementally improving a formula (SLR) that has brought them tremendous success over the years - that it will take an outsider (i.e., Panasonic) to introduce a new format (M43?) that eventually becomes the new standard. It seems as if the history of photography is full of stories like that - i.e., Leica and their resolute insistence on rangefinders, Polaroid and their unique instant photo, etc...

09-01-2009, 02:53 PM	#21
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361 Original Poster	Let's get started! Originally posted by nickthetasmaniac I totally agree that Pentax should go 'all' all-weather. That includes sealing for every body, and a sealed top, middle and bottom-end lens option for every significant focal range. CaNikon have speed and the 'pro' system. Olympus have compactness (excluding the E-3) and incredibly sharp ZD lenses. Sony have incredible corporate power. Pentax have .....???? Limited lenses? Pentax need one significant distinguishing factor, weathersealing is something they already do well and should capitalise on. I'd also run an ad campaign using 'user' photos, taken in the field, rather than dull as shit, set-up, studio shots... Well then, let's get started! There is clearly a lot of support for the brand as evidenced by the activity on this forum. We're all photographers. We also have designers, writers, ad people, and the other skills need to put together a great ad campaign. If Pentax corporate won't do it, why shouldn't we? Who's in? I'm not joking...

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08-22-2009, 03:05 PM	#16
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Originally posted by ktwse Advertising is only part of the story. If Pentax is going to be the All-Weather Camera Company (that does sound good, doesn't it?) they're going to have to prove that commitment through the product first. Being in advertising, I'm always wary of brands who want to push claims they can't back up 100% - that almost always backfires. There's a lot of half-arsed attempts at driving a certain positioning, and right now you have to wonder why Pentax has launched two WR kit lenses. Are they planning on upgrading their entire range or is it just a gimmick to highlight the AW/WR features of the K-7? I certainly hope it's the former... I do think that if they are committed, you could do really brilliant advertising without it costing an arm and a leg. I can think of a number of ideas on how to activate such a proposition in both broad media and more viral ways. John - that's what I felt as well. Hopefully at least someone at Pentax reads these pages... Thomas I am saying advertising as they can't claim or position their brand as "all weather" yet. Sure they can claim a niche for some of their products but if you position the Pentax brand as "all weather", then you have to make sure that ALL the products that Pentax carries are all weather. I too come from advertising and maybe Pentax is being careful as how to position its name (Pentax brand name) as Pentax is not only cameras and certainly not all it's cameras are weatherproof. The trick is to do advertising selectively on their strong products and on the Pentax legacy.

08-28-2009, 12:08 PM	#17
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,553	I don't think Pentax has a marketing campaign. When I started looking to buy a DSLR, I looked for Pentax because I had Pentax film cameras. They may be able to rely on brand loyalty for a while but sooner or later they will need to get their products into the hands of a younger generation who didn't grow up with the Pentax name being known as one of the best. I wanted a DSLR that would hold up to the outside elements of Upstate NY and New England. So far my camera has performed well. They should advertise their cameras as such. They hardly seem to advertise at all.

08-28-2009, 06:19 PM	#18
bladerunner0427 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 113	Maybe Pentax should have their weather-sealed cameras and lenses sold in stores like REI. Just a thought. I do agree that Pentax needs to differentiate their products and do some kind of marketing to get the word out. Hell, I wish I could buy a Pentax shirt from their website. I'd wear it.

09-01-2009, 05:20 AM	#19
nickthetasmaniac Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2,361	I totally agree that Pentax should go 'all' all-weather. That includes sealing for every body, and a sealed top, middle and bottom-end lens option for every significant focal range. CaNikon have speed and the 'pro' system. Olympus have compactness (excluding the E-3) and incredibly sharp ZD lenses. Sony have incredible corporate power. Pentax have .....???? Limited lenses? Pentax need one significant distinguishing factor, weathersealing is something they already do well and should capitalise on. I'd also run an ad campaign using 'user' photos, taken in the field, rather than dull as shit, set-up, studio shots...

09-01-2009, 08:14 AM	#20
pentaxian_tmb Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 436	I think everyone agrees pentax needs more marketting. I also agree with the "all-weather" angle. However, I would expand the concept to market Pentax as "old reliable." I think an ad compaign going through Pentax's history and then pushing the fact that they make solid, sugged, dependable cameras at a lower price and with more features than others would be effective. "Do you want to purchase a fashion accessory, or a reliable camera?"

09-01-2009, 02:56 PM	#22
stl_stadtroller New Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 23	As a dedicated ADVenture Rider and Syncronaut, I enthusiastically second your motion.

09-03-2009, 04:16 AM	#23
ktwse Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 57	Originally posted by T_MB I think everyone agrees pentax needs more marketting. I also agree with the "all-weather" angle. However, I would expand the concept to market Pentax as "old reliable." I think an ad compaign going through Pentax's history and then pushing the fact that they make solid, sugged, dependable cameras at a lower price and with more features than others would be effective. "Do you want to purchase a fashion accessory, or a reliable camera?" I would honestly focus on "All Weather" rather than reliable. The beauty of communicating ruggedness is that it implicitly states a lot about reliability, while maintaining a more unique spin on it. Also, with the number of old Leicas, Nikons Canons etc still out there, a number of manufacturers could claim reliability. Originally posted by johnmflores Well then, let's get started! There is clearly a lot of support for the brand as evidenced by the activity on this forum. We're all photographers. We also have designers, writers, ad people, and the other skills need to put together a great ad campaign. If Pentax corporate won't do it, why shouldn't we? Who's in? I'm not joking... I have a few ideas on how to do such a campaign... The first thing I would ask of the good people of this forum is to show your best shots from scenic places with horrible conditions. I'm thinking on top of Mt Everest, in the middle of the storm in The Perfect Storm and such...

09-03-2009, 08:06 AM	#24
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361 Original Poster	Originally posted by ktwse I have a few ideas on how to do such a campaign... The first thing I would ask of the good people of this forum is to show your best shots from scenic places with horrible conditions. I'm thinking on top of Mt Everest, in the middle of the storm in The Perfect Storm and such... Yes yes yes! Even better if your All Weather Pentax was in the shot! And as much as we'd like the shot on Everest, a shot at the local pool with one of the Optios, or a shot at the local mountain biking park or on a kayak would be good too. The idea of All Weather, you see, gives consumers something to aspire to (i.e., Everest), yet see as a benefit to their daily life (i.e., swimming pool). This is definitely a buzz-worthy project. We can develop a campaign that gets mentioned in photo blogs, birding blogs, travel websites, outdoor sites, etc... while showcasing the passion and creativity of PentaxForum members. I can see the headline in the advertising trade pubs now..."Passionate Pentax Owners Take Brand in Their Own Hands, Develop Ad Campaign" !!!

09-03-2009, 04:50 PM	#25
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361 Original Poster	Quote: Pentax claims the camera is weather proof, so I let it sit out in the rain while I sat in my tent reading the manual, two hours later the rain stopped and the camera worked fine. This is the kind of stuff that I'm talking about! Someone else posted this story elsewhere but I want to repost it here as possible source material. Similarly, we could pull quotes from the high altitude story and the deep sea story and connect them to related imagery...

09-03-2009, 05:12 PM	#26
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Or shots like this?

09-03-2009, 06:43 PM	#27
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361 Original Poster	Here's a quick sketch of what a print ad could look like: Anybody else have photos to play with? Any designers out there willing to take a swing at this?

09-03-2009, 06:48 PM	#28
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Ha! Sweeeeet!

09-04-2009, 02:30 AM	#29
Rorschach Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Kuusamo, Finland Photos: Gallery Posts: 652	Originally posted by johnmflores Here's a quick sketch of what a print ad could look like: Anybody else have photos to play with? Any designers out there willing to take a swing at this? Nice. This is a very good start. I hope JCPentax reads this thread and nudges someone up there and things start moving. And if they do, you should get something out of it, a free 600mm star lens for example!

09-06-2009, 06:42 PM	#30
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361 Original Poster	Everything on the page, Chris, is weather sealed. And the funny thing is that since we aren't being compensated by Pentax, we can do whatever we want, LOL, or at least they send us a cease and desist letter... BTW, you stated before that you worked for a Japanese camera manufacturer in the 80s. You don't seem to have a lot of positive to say about it, at least with respect to their willingness and/or ability to listen to and engage with customers. Do you think that's still true? Do you think that all Japanese camera manufacturers are similarly closed-off? I'm curious, because I wonder if the Japanese manufacturers are so set in their ways - incrementally improving a formula (SLR) that has brought them tremendous success over the years - that it will take an outsider (i.e., Panasonic) to introduce a new format (M43?) that eventually becomes the new standard. It seems as if the history of photography is full of stories like that - i.e., Leica and their resolute insistence on rangefinders, Polaroid and their unique instant photo, etc...