Film Advertising

Agulliver · Dec 11, 2018

Another anecdote....I was talking to an 80 year old man recently, who I know owns several classic and vintage cameras. I'm hoping to get to see some of them later this month and possibly run a roll or two of film. He's one of those people who lost interest in film when digital and smart phones came about (he's a tech savvy 80 year old). I was showing him my Agfa Synchro Box and he asked where I could get film for it...."Oh, you can still get it in Boots"...he was dumbfounded. He thought that all camera film had long ago disappeared from physical shops and that maybe a small amount was available from specialists or Amazon (he's seen my Amazon wish list...)

The message, once again, is that people who might occasionally purchase and use film don't realise it's still quite readily available. It is still just about possible to make an impulse purchase in larger towns. That message needs to get out...because when someone has that thought, "I'll get out my old camera"....what seems to be preventing them from actually doing so is the belief that they cannot easily buy film.

EMULSIVE · Dec 11, 2018

This from one of the folks I follow on Twitter just last week: https://twitter.com/timdobbsphoto/status/1071083313476132864 (Tim's based in the Welsh Valleys BTW).

Brick and mortar supply is certainly getting better and films like Analogue Wonderland and Parallax Coop are fighting the good fight online.

If it helps, I can make a "YOU CAN STILL BUY FILM" t-shirt

Nodda Duma · Dec 11, 2018

A still buy film shirt would be awesome.

-Jason

Sirius Glass · Dec 11, 2018

The last time that Kodak advertised film at the Olympics was 2002 in Salt Lake City. There is no return on the advertising investment for film.

lantau · Dec 15, 2018

On Instagram I just saw Fuji advertising their Instax Square camera (the analog one) in a Taylor Swift edition. In a scene you can see her on a desk in front of her Instax shots. When was the last time a major star was used for promoting any type of film?

Alan Edward Klein · Dec 15, 2018

My son-in-law told me to get my daughter, his wife, an Fujifilm Instax instant film camera. Which I did. They're around 40 years. So they are aware what's going on although they didn't ask for regular film camera.

I'm retired living in a 55+ community that has a photo club. Whenever I mention I shoot medium format film, all these old codgers of my age ask where do I get the film? They're all into digital and could care less about film. Let's face it. It's like asking people to start using vinyl records again. The people into these things are nerds like us. They know what's going on. The rest of the world has moved on and given up their saddles.

Sirius Glass · Dec 16, 2018

Alan Edward Klein said:
My son-in-law told me to get my daughter, his wife, an Fujifilm Instax instant film camera. Which I did. They're around 40 years. So they are aware what's going on although they didn't ask for regular film camera.

I'm retired living in a 55+ community that has a photo club. Whenever I mention I shoot medium format film, all these old codgers of my age ask where do I get the film? They're all into digital and could care less about film. Let's face it. It's like asking people to start using vinyl records again. The people into these things are nerds like us. They know what's going on. The rest of the world has moved on and given up their saddles.

When the codgers tell you that they got rid of their film cameras, ask them if they got rid of all their old equipment.

Agulliver · Dec 17, 2018

"it's like asking people to use vinyl records again"....have you heard the news?

With regard to advertising, I'm not thinking about huge campaigns at the Olympics but more about something to raise awareness that film is still around. I do come across dedicated film shooters who know where to buy film...but more often I come across people who would probably dust off their old camera once in a while if they knew that they could wander down to Boots and buy film. I live in a town that still has a bona fide cameras shop that even repairs vintage gear...and people don't know you can buy film. They have a sign "bring your film here" but not "buy your film here". I've suggested it but they don't seem very interested.

Anecdote....yesterday I was at the house of a 34 year old with 7 other guests....listening to vinyl on her vintage turntable. She has a 50s Agfa 120 camera and a stash of Ektar in the fridge.

koraks · Dec 17, 2018

Agulliver said:
"it's like asking people to use vinyl records again"....have you heard the news?

I think he did if you place the quote into its context:

Alan Edward Klein said:
Let's face it. It's like asking people to start using vinyl records again. The people into these things are nerds like us. They know what's going on. The rest of the world has moved on and given up their saddles.

Film users are a collection of nerds, hobbyists, hipsters and people who stuck with it despite of (or aggravated by) other technologies coming along. The vast majority of imagery is created digitally. Your vinyl-listening Ektar-shooting friend doesn't change that fact. The great resurgence (apparently) in film use doesn't change it, as it's still a micro-niche compared to digital technology. Most of the people you come across whom you think would dust off their old equipment - I'd say, put a roll of film into their hands and catch up with them 6 months down the line. I'd be surprised if even half of them have actually opened the package.

As a result, any form of mass advertising on the classical channels such as TV, radio and billboards would not make much economic sense. Online advertising can be focused much more specifically, creating more relevant exposure (hah) at lower costs. I'm kind of surprised that there are actually people who apparently haven't realized this, but there you go.

Alan Edward Klein · Dec 17, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
When the codgers tell you that they got rid of their film cameras, ask them if they got rid of all their old equipment.
View attachment 213005

They haven't. One of them has a Hassy, never uses it, but still wants to keep it.

Sirius Glass · Dec 17, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
When the codgers tell you that they got rid of their film cameras, ask them if they got rid of all their old equipment.
View attachment 213005

Alan Edward Klein said:
They haven't. One of them has a Hassy, never uses it, but still wants to keep it.

OK, lets try this again. This time I w-i-l-l w-r-i-t-e m-o-r-e s-l-o-w-l-y.

a-s-k t-h-e-m i-f t-h-e-y g-o-t r-i-d o-f a-l-l* o-f t-h-e-i-r o-l-d e-q-u-i-p-m-e-n-t.

* Read: including personal

Agulliver · Dec 19, 2018

koraks said:
. Most of the people you come across whom you think would dust off their old equipment - I'd say, put a roll of film into their hands and catch up with them 6 months down the line. I'd be surprised if even half of them have actually opened the package.

That is exactly how my friend got back into film. She has a Pentax K1000 which she hasn't used in over a decade. I gave her a couple of rolls of HP5+ to run through as she was so used to her DSLR and mirrorless she wasn't willing to risk buying film. With a gift of B&W and free developing from me, there was no risk. She shot those two films and 70% of the photos came out fine. She watched me shooting with a vintage Zeiss-Ikon folder and said that she'd always wanted to shoot medium format....one day while out and about doing street photography together we happened across a charity shop with an Agfa Isola, which she fell in love with and bought. Again I gave her one roll of B&W film which she shot and most of the exposures were fine. That lead to her obtaining a stash of Ektar to shoot in colour, which she's finished in three months.

So from my giving a couple of rolls of B&W film to someone purchasing a camera and 10 rolls of Ektar. It can and does happen. What's more, my friend's husband who has never shot film with any degree of seriousness in his life is asking about how to go about starting.

Kino · Dec 19, 2018

EMULSIVE said:
If it helps, I can make a "YOU CAN STILL BUY FILM" t-shirt

How about one that says, "Film Cameras Recycled Here"...

macfred · Dec 19, 2018

Kino said:
How about one that says, "Film Cameras Recycled Here"...

Last summer in Amsterdam when visiting the Lomo Store, I saw a pretty girl wearing a sweater with ''Film-friendly gentlemen prefered'' ...

thuggins · Mar 10, 2019

This is what I had in mind.

For the last couple of months this ad has been popping up on nearly every web site I go to. Now I'm about the biggest Oly fan there is, but this is the most asinine camera design imaginable. Maitani must be rolling over in his grave.

Given that the whole notion of the 4/3's sensor and the mirrorless body was to enable an overall smaller, lighter camera, I can't fathom the appeal or potential market for this ungainly monstrosity. But Olympus has pulled out all the stops for it.

If Kodak had put 1/10th this level of commitment into advertizing the new Ektachrome, they would have reached hundreds of millions of people who weren't using film. Some (admittedly small) number of these folks would be interested enough in this "new" product to follow up and give it a try. This would at least be proactive rather than leaving it up to the Lomo crowd and "word of mouth". While Kodak should be commended for giving us a new E-6 (after taking away three (?) versions), it is still fairly apparent that their heart really isn't in it.

faberryman · Mar 10, 2019

thuggins said:
If Kodak had put 1/10th this level of commitment into advertizing the new Ektachrome, they would have reached hundreds of millions of people who weren't using film.

If you are not going to project it, why shoot slide film? I don't think we are going back to the days of home slide shows. It's a niche within a niche.

afriman · Mar 10, 2019

You're probably right in the sense that it's unlikely that home slide shows will ever again be as popular as they once were. But it would be a very defeatist attitude for Kodak to go to the trouble and cost of relaunching Ektachrome and then assume that there would be so little interest that it doesn't deserve a decent marketing effort. The potential market may be relatively small, but surely that's all the more reason to put some energy into raising awareness of the product.

MattKing · Mar 10, 2019

thuggins said:
While Kodak should be commended for giving us a new E-6 (after taking away three (?) versions), it is still fairly apparent that their heart really isn't in it.

I don't think Kodak has the money to do what you want.
And I'm sure that they wouldn't be able to earn the cost of that sort of marketing back from the increased sales.
As for that Olympus camera - like most expensive cameras, it is designed to support sales of lenses.

Agulliver · Mar 11, 2019

I guess I am doing my bit, going around in a T-shirt which has on it an image of an Agfa Super Silette and the words "I shoot people"......usually with an Agfa Super Silette in my hands....

AgX · Mar 11, 2019

Here in Germany you could get into trouble with such shirt.

Paul Manuell · Mar 11, 2019

macfred said:
Last summer in Amsterdam when visiting the Lomo Store, I saw a pretty girl wearing a sweater with ''Film-friendly gentlemen prefered'' ...

Did you point out the spelling mistake to her?

Alan Edward Klein · Mar 11, 2019

faberryman said:
If you are not going to project it, why shoot slide film? I don't think we are going back to the days of home slide shows. It's a niche within a niche.

I shoot and scan Velvia 50 slide film in medium format. I tried Ektar 100 negative color film. But I find negative film is harder to scan and get the colors right, especially when you don;t know if it's even exposed correctly which will effect the colors as well. With slide film, I can see immediately which pictures are exposed correctly before scanning them. Especially because I bracket. So it saves scanning and post processing time. I also like Velvia's color palette.

I also scanned all my old 35mm slides which I now show on my 75" HDTV. The film projector failed and I threw it out. I added background music to my scanned shots. I have title, credits, and add comments on the screen. The slide shows are easier to set up. They're on a memory card connected to the TV. I only have to select the show I want and press a button. SImple. They're more interesting, and frankly, I think they're better then projecting original slides. Plus, you can surprise friends with the show while visiting you. Press the TV button, and the show begins. In the old days, if I pulled out the slide projector, people would run screaming out the door to go home early complaining about sudden illnesses and headaches. You think they'd try to stay and watch my last vacation. I mean, they could have asked me for aspirin.

So, I kind of moved on. But not totally.

macfred · Mar 11, 2019

Paul Manuell said:
Did you point out the spelling mistake to her?

Not her fault but mine ...

faberryman · Mar 11, 2019

Alan Edward Klein said:
I shoot and scan Velvia 50 slide film in medium format. I tried Ektar 100 negative color film. But I find negative film is harder to scan and get the colors right, especially when you don;t know if it's even exposed correctly which will effect the colors as well. With slide film, I can see immediately which pictures are exposed correctly before scanning them. Especially because I bracket. So it saves scanning and post processing time. I also like Velvia's color palette.

I also scanned all my old 35mm slides which I now show on my 75" HDTV. The film projector failed and I threw it out. I added background music to my scanned shots. I have title, credits, and add comments on the screen. The slide shows are easier to set up. They're on a memory card connected to the TV. I only have to select the show I want and press a button. SImple. They're more interesting, and frankly, I think they're better then projecting original slides. Plus, you can surprise friends with the show while visiting you. Press the TV button, and the show begins. In the old days, if I pulled out the slide projector, people would run screaming out the door to go home early complaining about sudden illnesses and headaches. You think they'd try to stay and watch my last vacation. I mean, they could have asked me for aspirin.

So, I kind of moved on. But not totally.

I don't see any reason to shoot film and then scan it. Might as well shoot digital to begin with.

macfred · Mar 11, 2019

faberryman said:
I don't see any reason to shoot film and then scan it.

I don't see any advantage in shooting film and than scan it but I see several reasons to do so ...

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