In my earliest days with Olympus gear, I went to the US Grand Prix Formula
One race in Watkins Glen, NY (back when the US still had a GP). In all the
key corner locations, Canon had scaffolds erected. These were *choice*
locations - even the TV guys would do battle for these spots. On those
scaffolds Canon reps had an assortment of super telephotos mounted on
tripods. The price of admission to these gem locations? Show your Canon!
The big guy at the base of the steps would grant passage and one could
ascend to the privileged heights. Once there, you could put your body on
any available lens and shoot as long as you pleased. Cost? Zero. It was
all promotion. Oly never even thought of this.....
Ever have a piece of equipment fail? I've had my OM-2n, winder 2 and XA
serviced by Olympus America in New York before they quit providing service
for my antiques. In each case the service was excellent, but time
consuming. I was without my equipment for at least 2 weeks, usually three.
This week I sent a lens for my Mamiya M645 to Mamiya America. Turn around
time? Five days - guaranteed. Faster if I paid extra. Oly could never
match that.
For the dedicated amateur or pro shooter, the camera's features are but a
small (important, but small) part of the vendor selection criteria. System
components, service, backward compatibility are all major considerations.
Even "perceived image" has its place. To be successful in this business,
the vendor has to have all the elements, or buyers will move down the
counter to the vendor who *does* have them all. Notice price is not on the
list. I bought my OM-4T and 35-80 lens together. I bought them for
performance, capability and compatibility. Back then Oly was still
servicing all my equipment. Thank goodness for Camtech and Photosphere or
I'd be really worried.
If Olympus wants to be on the same level as Canon or Nikon in the 35mm
ranks, then they need to step up their sponsorship of events like PGA events
and staff them heavily. Offer free use of the best high-end gear. If not
for the day to the working press, for a few hours to anyone with an OM body.
Advertise in all the photo mags - with multiple full-page ads. Give camera
stores large quantities of bags and other take-aways with Olympus plastered
all over them. Give those same stores advertising incentives for their
Sunday newspaper ads and sales incentives to "suggest" Olympus products
first. There are many ways to succeed in the photo business, but sitting on
the laurels of past success is a sure way to fail.
Whew! Glad I got that off my chest.
John P
<ONLYOLYBW@xxxxxxx> remarked:
>The salesman is absolutely correct. Here in the US, every time I buy
>something from our local camera stores, they put it in a Nikon bag.
>Advertising is a huge power over the public. Teaching "features" and
>"benefits" of a product is a long and difficult process. There are very
few
>people that will take the time to truly evaluate a product. Therefore they
>rely on Brand equity (what they have seen or heard). It is a shame that
>Olympus has done such a poor job in teaching the public. In fact, they
have
>possibly let it go to far and the public now "thinks" that Olympus SLR's
are
>inferior to the Nikons and Canons. I went to a PGA golf tournament last
year
>and was totally surprised to see it sponsored by Olympus. All the Pros
wore a
>white vest with OLYMPUS on the back. I walked over to one Pro (with Canon)
>who had his vest turned inside out, so you could not read the Olympus. I'm
>sure we know why. I ask him what happened to Olympus, and he replied they
are
>"has beens - not keeping up with the times" I ask him if he uses the Auto-
>Focus. He said "No". I walked over to a tall 30 foot scaffold with
Olympus
>all over it and walked inside. I found only a few flyers on Digital
>equipment. No "Olympus" person in sight. I walked away thinking what a
>golden opportunity Olympus had to let some Pros test some of their
equipment.
>They could have very easily had a few 4&3Ti's and 350mm f 2.8's for the
Pros
>to demo. But, they didn't.
>Hey, even my wife ask me "Why don't you change to Nikon?" After I rattled
off
>about 2 dozen features and benefits; she said, " So, doesn't Nikon have
>those?"
>WOW, what a deep hole OLY has dug!
>BW
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