On #Kodak and @WiredUK and #tribes

If Only | 6 February 2010 | Bitton, originally uploaded by Photoportunity.

There's a frustrating article in WiredUK this month. Recommended reading. In my view, Kodak are searching for a product solution to, what is essentially, a brand problem.

My photography, like many others, was shaped by Kodachrome. Nice bright colours, the greens of summer, Kodak really did make all the world seem like a sunny day.

Yet where is the echo of this now?

I see the toys (cheaper to run printers, minivideo cameras, etc) but where is the attempt to stir the emotions and loyalty of Kodak's constituents?

Kodak has (maybe it's 'had' now) massive brand loyalty but unless nurtured, that erodes and atrophies - especially in a market that suffers a bad case of ADD.

Please Kodak, start by looking at your 'tribe' - the consumers that have and hold fond memories - then do small things to start nurturing it.

Some easy cheap 'stuff' would be good.

A free set of photoshop actions or lightroom presets that mimic those wonderful colours from Kodak slide and neg film, maybe a little app that applies those to pictures taken with a mobile phone (start with the iPhone please).

Grab some celeb photographers and ask them to do workshops for the masses (on TV or youtube?) with your brand all over them.

Oh and for heaven's sake, start merchandising before someone else does. Where's my hoody with a Kodak logo?