Pentax's Achilles' heel ... North American PR/Marketing

<p>Seriously what is the deal. You just made a damn good camera, get out there and blow your damn horn loud and clear!! Don't just blow it all in Japanese!<br /> <br /> What is up with North American K-7 site, it is so damn ugly. I had to go to dpreview so I can get some <em>real</em> <em>detailed</em> information on the camera. That is sad, I shouldn't have to feel uninformed reading about their product on their <strong>offical</strong> site. Take a look at the Japanese one, <a href="http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-7/feature.html">http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-7/feature.html</a> , and their mini-site <a href="http://www.camera-pentax.jp/">http://www.camera-pentax.jp/</a> . I have no god damn clue to what is being said, but I can say one thing. This site sure as hell looks appealing. Sure some of you might say, blah blah blah it's just pretty pictures and what not, but you know what, that's excatly what Pentax needs, a pretty flashy site to show of the new baby. They engineer simply beautiful cameras in terms of esthetics and function and how do they show it off here in North America? They don't, we do.<br /> Let's face it. Pentaxians don't need a flashy site. But that's <em>just </em> Pentaxians. Regular folk love pretty pictures. They aren't going to spend hours reading like 5 different previews of the camera or watch 3 different (poorly made) videos on youtube or bookmark your crappy damn K-7 countdown site, and they sure as hell will be tired of seeing the same damn pictures of the camera everywhere. You need to lure people in with a flashy site or flashy ad campaign then dish out techy business. I mean whats the point having a teaser poster when people have to make an effort to go <em>find</em> one to see? I'm not saying start spending millions and millions on us North Americans right now, but for god sakes atleast be on par with the Japanese site!<br /> <br /> <img title="Wow that is a sexy camera" src="http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8753/ph03.jpg" alt="" title="Wow that is a sexy camera" /> <br /> <img title="I'm guessing this has to do with the white balance upgrade" src="http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/1682/ph04.jpg" alt="" title="I'm guessing this has to do with the white balance upgrade" /> <br /> <img title="HDRI blah blah blah" src="http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8854/fea506.jpg" alt="" title="HDRI blah blah blah" /> <br /> Damn that K-7 looks sexy.</p>

<p>Oh and look folks. Samples <a href="http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-7/ex.html">http://www.pentax.jp/japan/imaging/digital/slr/k-7/ex.html</a></p>

<p>Try Google translate. http://translate.google.com/translate_t#</p>

<p>It's a Japanese company, a Japanese product and a Japanese website. When you get over to Google Translate, cut and paste the Pentax web page address in there. After you translate the first page, it'll usually standby to do some more. Super-easy.</p>

<p>They're not going to put out a Pentax in Portuguese site, either. Just saying. Those Portuguese got a little uppity around that Vasco de Gama incident; but, they, too, will use the website translations.</p>

<p>Marketing was never a strong point for Pentax. Even the recent splurge (recent, I mean around K10D launch) was somewhat difficult for them to pull off.</p>

<p>They make nice cameras though, so it's up to us to spread the word.</p>

<p>One could argue we that we get a raw deal but if lack of marketing alllows them to sell cameras for less while still innovating, I'm all for it.</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>It's a Japanese company, a Japanese product and a Japanese website. When you get over to Google Translate, cut and paste the Pentax web page address in there. After you translate the first page, it'll usually standby to do some more. Super-easy.</p>

</blockquote>

<blockquote>

<p>One could argue we that we get a raw deal but if lack of marketing alllows them to sell cameras for less, while still innovating I'm all for it.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Good points, I agree costs might rise if they spent as much as C&N, which btw are also Japanese companies, but commmonnnnnnn. I don't want them to spend like those guys. Like you said marketing definitely their weakness.</p>

<p>I think you make a good point. If going through the trouble of having it featured on the website, the job could be done better. It could be much more detailed and well illustrated. Their very efficient Hyper operating system, now featured across a number of models, is seldomly mentioned either. They should lay out their advantages, and although not up to the frequency of C/N ads, an occasional good one could be very productive as well.</p>

<p>If supply is finite, and demand increases, wouldn't that mean the price goes up? </p>

<p>Perhaps I should start singing the praises of CanNikon. I might see a return of film cameras. If I could get a 645 that's as all mechanical as the K1000, that'd be great. </p>

<p>Ok, I'll play devil's advocate here. I have no problems with the Pentax web site. In fact, internet advertising has gotten so out of hand, I almost feel a sense of unease at times - the old, "if it looks too good to be true it probably is" factor. Look at Billy Mays et al.</p>

<p>I've used Pentax for years, I have a K20D, and no amount of flash and glitz is going to sell me anything, including Ashton Kutcher pushing Nikon.</p>

<p>I completely agree. I don't understand Pentax' lack of advertising. While Ashton Kutcher may not sell you a camera, for a lot of people, he will. At least, when they decide to upgrade to a dslr, they'll remember his commercials. Not so for Pentax.</p>

<p>I think they ought to try to get some Hollywood product placement deals. One of my favorite TV shows is the original CSI. Every week, they've got a new Nikon camera, with the nameplate prominently displayed. One week, its a D70 (in reruns), or a D90, the next its a D200 or D300. I even saw Gil Grissom using a Nikon point & shoot. I don't think that this is a coincidence. I'm sure that, at the very least, Nikon is providing all those cameras for free. They're probably paying some cash, as well.</p>

<p>Paul Noble</p>

<p>I think it's important for us to remember we represent a small specific segment of Pentax potential sales.</p>

<p>For every tech head who loves specs and thrives on them, there are x more potential buyers out there who find that stuff offputting because they don't know what it means and may never. If they ever buy a camera, many are going to live in green mode. But if Pentax is going to grow they have to appeal to all groups, not just cater to those in the know.</p>

<p>I was kinda hoping that Pentax would continue where they left off with the Swedish *ist D marketing campaign...</p>

<p><a href="http://www.adrants.com/images/reklam.jpg">http://www.adrants.com/images/reklam.jpg</a></p>

<p>Paul, that is exactly the kind of advertising we need in America in this day and age. It will create such an outrage, and that will finally put the Pentax name out there!</p>

<p>Gritty is the way to go for Pentax if you ask me, time to have some fun.<br>

<img src="http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/3280/pad.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>Thanks Paul, now I've missed my bus. ;)</p>

<p>Well, if it's a choice between looking at Ashton Kutcher or a pleasantly female arse, I fear I'm duty-bound by nature to go with the latter... Even if it is disturbingly orange... :)</p>

<p>Come on Pentax marketing peeps, don't get all PC on us now... Just shamelessly smut it up '70s style and see those site hits skyrocket... :)</p>

<p>It's not just the marketing — the customer service is the same way. If you have a detailed technical question, you will probably eventually get responses like this:<br>

<em>No doubt there is a numerical value to these increments but that value has never been made available to us by Pentax Japan. </em><br>

(That's a direct quote. I've got more like it.)<br>

Basically, Pentax USA is an import and distribution channel, with a repair shop. They're not the <em>real</em> company.</p>

<p>The ad's in English, so where did it originate?</p>

<p>the Ad is in swedish, it's just some words are in English because it's 'sophisticated' or something like that.</p>