The future of printed pictures

March 13, 2010 Leave a comment

The future of photography?

The future of photography?

The profession of “photographer” is dead

 

In today’s digital and mobile world, everyone is a photographer. People are mobile and carry along mobile devices that most of the time can take (high) quality pictures. What’s more, the digital technology allows to take as many pictures as one can imagine. In the end, one will have made at least one picture that has the appearance of a professional photo.

“Everyone a celebrity”

I believe the “end of the photographer” should be understood within the realms of the “15-minutes-of-fame-for-everyone society”. Actually this means it’s not the end of a certain profession. Celebrities still exist. Photographers still exist. The border however to enter those categories is now hazier then ever because of the individual’s empowerment brought along by digital technologies.

Worth a large format print?

Worth a large format print?

Upload & pay online

Back to the pictures. People take pictures everywhere, anytime. Whether with a point&shoot, reflex or a mobile phone. Most of the time those picture are used to post online to a social media profile. Rarely those pictures are printed. The future of printed pictures however is via an online workflow. Upload your own “professional photo”, set the characteristics, pay and … there you go 2 or 3 days later you receive a professionally crafted large format print in your mailbox.

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Celebrity power as a Marketing Tool

March 4, 2010 1 Comment

Who will open the new mall?

The above sentence is something that I note everywhere: outdoor posters, local newspaper ads, flyers, etc. My immediate reaction: “Who cares? Isn’t celebrity power a thing of the past?”

Celebrity power as an advertising strategy

Celebrity power has always been an advertising strategy, mostly known as the “celebrity endorsements phenomenon”. The logic is sort of the following: The coercive power of a celebrity results in all people wanting and buying that good.

Everyone a celeb?

In today’s world, everyone is a celebrity – or at least they have the ability to become one using their own power. Just look at reality TV-shows such as “Idols”, “Master cook” , “Big Brother” , “Expedition Robinson” , etc.

Everyone a celebrity within a specific ‘market’?

In today’s digital network society people are all celebrities within a certain “market”. Maybe this will prove to be the genuine coercive power of advertising instead of global stars? We’ll see…

A powerful example of celebrity marketing?

Despite the above, I found an ad where I believe the celebrity is used effectively: an ad for “Hanes” panty starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. This ad uses the celebrity in a good way because of the powerful copy (baseline: “look who we’ve got our hanes on now”). What’s more: it uses the “sexiness” of the celebrity. Nice :-)

Jennifer Love Hewitt as "celebrity endorsement"

Jennifer Love Hewitt as "celebrity endorsement"

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Cycling: a unique marketing opportunity?

February 28, 2010 Leave a comment

New cycling season : new brands

I agree, I do like cycling. Not just doing it myself but as a passive sportsman: watching it on the television. It’s also exciting however from a sponsorship side of view. Every year when the new season starts, I meet new brands. I rarely learn what the brands stand for actually. This year’s list of new teams (read: new sponsors):

  • FOOTON-SERVETTO
  • SKY PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM
  • TEAM HTC – COLUMBIA
  • TEAM RADIOSHACK

New brands on top of my mind … but !

The above brands will be top of mind if you ask me “name a brand”. Nevertheless, I will never know what these brands are about (unless I browse them or meet them by accident). This was a starting point for a quick reflection on marketing opportunities in sport sponsorship, in particularly cycling.

Marketing strategy on cycling sponsorship?

I doubt the effectiveness of sponsoring a cycling team. I mean, it costs a lot of money and I doubt whether it’s earned back. Nevertheless: brand owners, keep sponsoring cycling teams! I love the sport and you have a broader task then just selling your products!

Better ways to involve marketing-wise in cycling races?

Another thing I noticed is the ability to get free “advertising space” during cycling races. Tomorrow there is a finish of a “Classic Flemish Cycling Race” not far from where I live. The streets are flanked with a lot of trucks – all hoping to receive a glimpse of the television camera. I believe this will prove to be a more effective way to involve in cycling compared to the sponsorship of UCI Pro Cycling Team. Reasons: local marketing opportunities, free, …

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