Awakening of Fuji: Choosefilm Relaunch

[Henning Serger]

Hello,

some years ago Fujifilm UK started the film website choosefilm.com.

Good idea, but this site was made and supported in a very bad way. Looks like Fujifilm UK have learned, at least they have just started a relaunch of choosefilm.com.

This new website looks much, much better designed:

http://choosefilm.com/

Let's hope this is also a sign of an improved PR management of Fuji and a much better marketing for film as a photographic medium.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Steve Smith]

It looks much better now and amazingly, it remembered me. Or perhaps it's more amazing that I remembered my password!

It's also a nice gesture that they put in a piece about Kodak's new Portra film in the news section.

And if you scroll down to the bottom, every page has got Velvia style frame numbers and edge of film text.


Steve.

 

[bdial]

...And if you scroll down to the bottom, every page has got Velvia style frame numbers and edge of film text...

And the top has a sheet film code notch.

If only Kodak would do something like this...

 

[edp]

And if you scroll down to the bottom, every page has got Velvia style frame numbers and edge of film text.

RDPIII is Provia 100F and so is the notch code

 

[perkeleellinen]

Looks much better.

 

[Sean]

I don't really see much different as before content wise. It's a buddypress 1-click instant community as before, but running a different vanilla theme, basically they took this theme: http://buddypressthemes.org/ moved the rotating image box to the header, tweaked some colors and added a few background images of film notches. But still it's good to see they are having some involvement with film. I'm just bringing this up because I'm unsure how "awakened" it is. Internet marketing firms pump stuff like this out all day long..

 

[rhmimac]

can this be (a little bit) hopefull?

http://choosefilm.com/news/fujifilm-makes-e6-pledge/

rhmimac

 

[Vonder]

Unfortunately for US residents this is a UK-based site and is geared towards European consumers. It'd be nice if there was a US equivalent but it may be that Fuji has given up on the US market except being the sole supplier of color film to Walmart.

 

[perkeleellinen]

I suspect that Fuji UK has been quite proactive in setting this up and also the online store they have, I think that these initiatives are run locally rather than from Japan, so there may be scope to persuade Fuji USA to follow this lead.

 

[Sean]

but it may be that Fuji has given up on the US market except being the sole supplier of color film to Walmart.

You could be right, they pulled their sponsorship here a few months ago and most APUG traffic is from North America. I tried to encourage them to keep some presence here even a minor one, and you could almost say "they didn't return my calls". Oh well..

 

[SWphoto]

And the top has a sheet film code notch.

If only Kodak would do something like this...

I'd rather Kodak continued to introduce new films, as they do (unlike Fuji, which only discontinues).

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

You could be right, they pulled their sponsorship here a few months ago and most APUG traffic is from North America. I tried to encourage them to keep some presence here even a minor one, and you could almost say "they didn't return my calls". Oh well..

I was wondering what happened, but didn't want to bring it up in case there were a few sore spots that I and everyone else didn't need to know about...

Ken

 

[Sean]

I was wondering what happened, but didn't want to bring it up in case there were a few sore spots that I and everyone else didn't need to know about...

Ken

I appreciated their support for a few months, the only sore spot was I felt their decision not to continue seemed unilateral and made by one employee. It even felt like that decision was driven by the hassle involved with that person cutting us a check via corporate, that it was a monumental hassle they no longer wanted to deal with any more. I could be wrong but that was my interpretation of things.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

I appreciated their support for a few months, the only sore spot was I felt their decision not to continue felt unilateral and made by one person. It even felt like that decision was driven by the hassle involved with that person cutting us a check via corporate, that it was a monumental hassle they no longer wanted to deal with any more. I could be wrong but that was my interpretation of things.

That's too bad, given the play that their products enjoy on this site. But if they're not interested, life moves on.

Thanks for the explanation.

Ken

 

[Prest_400]

And the top has a sheet film code notch.

If only Kodak would do something like this...

And they mention Kodak stuff as well:
http://choosefilm.com/news/new-portra-film-now-available/

Interesting, even being a fuji site.

 

[Shangheye]

Yeah I noticed the gap in the ponsors page Sean and it made me wonder where all the logic was. I do wonder if these film companies are now consolidating regionally and unofficially "splitting" the world market between them. Ever tried to get Kodak colour films in Asia...?

 

[Athiril]

They could all get on board with the one site rather, and expand, which will definately happen if it gains momentum. Currently the site has a bit over 10% of the number of registered users of APUG and I shoot Film on flickr.

 

[Athiril]

I'd rather Kodak continued to introduce new films, as they do (unlike Fuji, which only discontinues).

You mean like when Velvia was discontinued due to a raw material issue, and now we have 3 flavours of Velvia?

 

[Athiril]

Yeah I noticed the gap in the ponsors page Sean and it made me wonder where all the logic was. I do wonder if these film companies are now consolidating regionally and unofficially "splitting" the world market between them. Ever tried to get Kodak colour films in Asia...?

Yep, I get my Ektacolor Pro 160 from Asia. Actually I can get a lot of my Kodak stuff from Asia if I want.

 

[j-dogg]

I signed up and I'm creating a couple groups.

 

[chrismoret]

Thanks for the link. Signed up directly :-D

 

[SWphoto]

You mean like when Velvia was discontinued due to a raw material issue, and now we have 3 flavours of Velvia?

That was what, a few years ago? How's about Quickloads of all types, the various color neg films recently discontinued, the Neopan 400 in 120, Neopan 1600, etc, etc. Oh, and the now-you-see-it, now-you-don't instant films in 4x5 and other-size packs, and...

Sad to see any film disappear, but at least Kodak has brought out in last 2 years revised 160 VC and NC, 400 VC and NC; Ektar 100 in 35mm, 120, 4x5, 8x10; Portra 400 in 35mm, 120, 220, 4x5 and 8x10; TMY-2 in various sizes. Credit where credit is due....

 

[Athiril]

Kodak didn't bring out any new films, they canned a number of films (no pun intended), canned both Portra 400 NC and VC, and replaced them with an existing Vision product with a tweak. Ektar is also a tweaked Vision product. They're not new. The only 'new' thing about them is the formats they come in.


Neopan 400 is gone because of a raw material problem - just like Velvia did not so long ago and came back again. Neopan 400 is/was popular in various markets, it may or may not pull a Velvia.

What various colour neg films? I see Reala, Pro 160S and 160C (whatever they want to call them now), Pro 400H still being made (again, naming difference), as well as Superia 400 XTRA, 800 XTRA (now "Venus"), 1600, Fujicolor 100, and as well as Premium 400, whih is another consumer C-41 film, different to Superia 400 XTRA.

For both Kodak and Fuji, not all films are listed either, re: Kodak Ektacolor Pro 160.

 

[Steve Roberts]

Looking through some old slides last night, I found one of Leicester Square from some time in the early 1980s. In pride of place was the big green ad for FujiFilm covering most of the side of the building.
Those were the days....
Steve

 

[Matt5791]

And the top has a sheet film code notch.

If only Kodak would do something like this...

They do!! Personlly I think the main Kodak website is absolutely brilliant with superb marketing for their traditional film products. Compare the main Kodak website with the main Fuji one - there is quite a difference.

Whlst new Portra 400 and Ektar may share technology with Vision, they are of course not re-badged movie film and there will have been enourmous investment to bring these products to market - I think it would suprise people just how much if we knew.

Currently "Choose film" website seems to be the only marketing spend Fuji have with traditional products, which is a shame.