Film Marketing Trivia Question

[nyoung]

In the 50s, 60s, and 70s shops that sold film often kept it in diamond shaped shelves behind the check out counter.

Those shelves were a distinctive graphic on the wall that said "film sold here" whether you were in a photo shop, a national park gift shop, drug store, or grocery store.

My question is, were those shelves sold/provided by Kodak?

Was there any reason - relating to storage, inventory counting etc. - for the shape?

 

[fschifano]

I couldn't tell you who supplied the shelves. The diamond shaped orientation of the boxes added stability to the display, making it easier to extract 1 or two boxes of film without disturbing the remainder too much.

 

[MattKing]

They work really well with wine too.

I've never seen any with brand names on them. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if Kodak and other producers might have recommended such shelving.

Matt

 

[Pompiere]

A lot of times, the display is included with the merchandise order, especially for a large national company, to maintain an easily recognized icon. Usually, they are designed by the company's marketing department and made by a sub-contractor exclusively for that company. They also have other merchandising items available for the retailer to purchase, or for the sales rep to include as incentives for a larger order. The prices are set by the factory, but the sales reps can use their ingenuity to drum up more sales, like including a free sign or display case for a certain sized order.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

I can never say I'd seen them until I visited America and decided to buy some HP5. I'd always seen it on normal everyday shelves here in South Australia. Very smart idea though.

 

[randyB]

If memory serves me correctly, I think Kodak did sell them in the 60's--80's. They were yellow plastic with Kodak embossed in several places. I also think Fuji made them available to dealers in the 80's, green plastic. Most camera stores just had them made from wood. When I setup a 1 hour lab in the early 90's I just made one, painted it white. I also think I have seen them made of cardboard. As to the shape, it is an efficient use of space for little boxes. The shape was also used in other stores, hardware, hobby, drugstores, sporting goods, etc.

 

[Tim Gray]

We used to store our wine in the liquor closet at the bar I worked at the same way. I can see where it has advantages for round containers, but for little boxes, small rectangular shelving should work as good. I would think. But apparently not

 

[McFortner]

Wow, I haven't seen one of those in a long time. I'd totally forgotten about them. It seemed like they were everywhere in the 70s. Those and Fotomat's. I can still remember the one my parents would use to get their film developed then.