Dreaming in Black & White

Business Challenge
Introduce Ilford, a black-and-white photography brand, in Kodak-dominated U.S. market. Launch with $1 million budget, 0% of US market vs Kodak’s $200+ million, 80+% share of market. Increase shareholder value, gain acquisition interest.

Customer Insight
Customers purchased from Kodak out of habit and familiarity. When opening up their feelings, they resented the dominant brand’s pricing and inventory control. And, if you listened, often between the lines, you heard that, on a deeper, emotional level, they felt Kodak regarded itself, the brand (!), as the “artist.” This was the rub.

Ilford’s CEO, at the start of my work, stated that their brand was “…in the business of Photography Film, Paper, and Equipment.”

But, after listening, really listening between the lines to customer, I presented the Q: “What Business Are You Really In?” and answered that Ilford was really in the business of “Serving the Artist” which was gold to photographers.

Brand Strategy/Position
Tool of the artist. Not “Brand as the artist.” Ilford is the expert in Black and White, the True Tool of the Artist, not the artist themselves, nor the art. This empathy for the customer earned their Trust first, which then opened the door to a more studied respect for the competence of Ilford’s technology and products.

Brand/Marketing Creative
Unprecedented in category’s history. Iconic black-and-white imagery in ads seen as B&W art exhibits in their own right, without the use of any photography.

Result
From zero to 3% market share in first six months. Ten percent by end of year. Elevated shareholder value (Purchased by International Paper one year after this campaign).

To set up a meeting and learn more, contact janzlotnick@gmail.com

Caption to Ad Below: Inventive. Irrepressible. Illuminating. Ilford. Nobody sees more into black & white than we do.

Caption to Ad Below: Interactive. Introspective. Inseparable. Ilford. Nobody knows the philosophy of black & white like we do.

Caption to Ad Below: Intriguing. Involving. Indelible. Ilford. Nobody’s wilder about black & white than we are.