Nikon: Companies Doing Cool Stuff With Marketing

Nikon is a name synonymous with excellence in photography. As a brand, anyone in the industry would be hard pressed to name a more resilient and lasting name to associate with imagery. That said, being top dog is also about rolling out more and more cool stuff. Nikon USA’s coolest big sponsoring event (so far) being SXSW, down there in Austin, Texas in March. Check it. This news falls into the “Stuff I like and hope you like” category.

NikonLive Cool Shot entry – 126 votes counting mine – follow link to vote

Nikon USA has something cooking behind the camera controls year round, but marketing and outreach initiatives like NikonLive, and particularly their workshops, just plain rule North America’s interest in digital photography, in my view. Case in point, the company partnered with Warner Music Group for a once in a lifetime chance to rock and click at the unforgettable 2012 SXSW event in Austin. High Def and Hi Fidelity, between the band experiences and the instructionals? Well, being an amateur camera buff myself, I wish I had been there. Rather than rant on about Austin, Nikon, and Warner Music, please watch the Vimeo segment below for a taste.

Nikon Rocks SXSW 2012 from Nikon_USA on Vimeo.

I am not usually a huge fan of corporate marketing, that is unless it serves multiple purposes like any good campaign should. In the case of Nikon, however, all the essential elements seem to be in place at all times. Just looking at their NikonLive site, passers by will find a lot going on, most notably the “Cool Shot” contest taking place right now. Winning tickets, VIP passes, and the plane trip over to a Nikon event at Jones Beach Theater may not be a super prize for many, but for music loving camera buffs? You see the point, I know. (My dream concert would be VIP access at the Santana concert next month)

Marketing successfully has to involve, not just what you want to sell, but especially what potential customers want to buy, what they want in their lives. For photographers, at least a great number of them, a Nikon body, and or lenses, goes perfectly with capturing their musical moments, their audio-visual dreams.

Bravo Nikon for innovating and integrating give and take – the ultimate social strategy. Follow Nikon USA on Twitter here.

Eurovision 2013 and Why “What If” Won’t Ever Happen, Not Ever

This year’s Eurovision contest showed promise. Promise of human beings coming together in Europe, maybe across the world. Now, days after Denmark’s Emmelie de Forest, sanging the winning song in the finale, Only Teardrops the idea and ideology still enshrouds Europe. With Azerbaijan launching an investigation into its own voting schema, and an enrage Russian fan base, the Europe of medieval times just doesn’t seem so far off.

Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest - Courtesy Eurovision

ZOA Calls for Israel Commentary on Netzarim Junction Affair

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is calling for the state of Israel to hold a press conference to address a new investigation into what they say is a libelous past report on a Palestinian youth shooting.

A world, a people, outraged by reporting of an incident - courtesy Al Durah Project

EXCLUSIVE: Columbia Sportswear Sends Out RFP

Just in, Columbia Sportswear has sent out a request for proposal (RFP) for entertainment marketing firms to attend a coming campaign to focus on the Columbia Sportswear target demographic. Columbia Sportswear Company owns Columbia, Mountain Hardwear, SOREL, Montrail and the Pacific Trail brands, but according to the request questionnaire the company sent out, the focus will be exclusively for the Columbia brand name.

Ronn Torossian on Brand Angelina Jolie

With Angelina Jolie being lauded as a hero worldwide for her valiant effort to have a preventative double mastectomy, there’s also the BRAND and PR story of Angelina Jolie. Even previous to this, Jolie’s brand has shined – Best-selling PR Book “For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations” by CEO of 5WPR Ronn Torossian had a section on Jolie.