Kodak’s office equipment division is streamlining its agency roster as
it prepares to challenge Canon’s domination of the colour printer and
copier market in the UK.
The photographic giant has ended previous arrangements under which the
business was spread between a number of above- and through-the-line
agencies by consolidating the pounds 1 million account at Focus. Media
buying remains with Optimedia.
The switch begins a significant change of tactics by Kodak, which is
dropping advertising support for its other office equipment products to
put extra resources behind its printers and copiers.
For Focus, the Publicis-FCB group subsidiary that won the business in a
pitch against Davies Little Cowley and the EMO agency in Swindon, the
win sustains a relationship of several years with Kodak.
During that time it has handled assignments for a range of office
imaging equipment, including scanners and electronic filing systems.
Advertising using business and specialist press will start early next
year with the aim of building Kodak’s share of the copier and printing
market, currently estimated at between 8 and 15 per cent.
Canon and Hewlett-Packard lead the colour printer market in the UK with
a 37 per cent share each, according to the market researcher, Romtec.
They are followed by Lexmark with 9 per cent and Epson with 6 per cent.
Hugh Kellett, the Focus client services director, said: ‘Everybody knows
Kodak for film but its awareness in the copiers market is very low.
‘Canon’s success with its colour copiers has sparked a lot of activity
in the area. But Kodak is not only at the leading edge of copier
technology, it also has a marvellous colour photographic heritage.’
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