Can Polaroid Be An Instant Hit -- Again?
The Polaroid technology, which debuted in 1948, allowed photographers to point, shoot and print all in one step. In fact, the first Polaroid camera aimed at the popular market, the Model 20 Swinger of 1965, is one of the best-selling cameras of all time. But the original company filed bankruptcy in 2001, largely because it failed to realize the impact of digital camera technology -- despite an early entry in that market. Currently, Summit Global Group, a consortium of firms for imaging products, controls the Polaroid brand.
Summit Global Group is not just targeting nostalgic consumers, however, it is also aiming for a younger audience that has come to expect instant gratification from technology products.
"With significant marketing effort being applied to instant photography, both with the relaunch of instant film and through product line expansion of the digital formats, we will introduce the Polaroid brand to younger consumers and ready them for a lifetime of Polaroid experiences," Giovanni Tomaselli, managing director of Summit Globa Groupl, said in a release. "This is the beginning of our instant analog directive that will span a family of products and return Polaroid to a relevant industry participant."
Last year, Polaroid released the PoGo, a credit-card-size instant photo printer. The device uses ZINK (zero ink) technology, which has the dye crystals embedded in the photo paper itself. Photos can be printed using a mobile phone via Bluetooth or digital camera via a USB cable. "The fact that you can unlock all those photos from your mobile phone will be a great boost for instant photography," said Tomaselli in the statement.
The company also debuted today the Polaroid "TWO," a digital version of the traditional camera that produces instant digital photos, along with plans to introduce in 2010 the Instant Digital Camera that produces 4 x 3-inch photos at the push of a button.