A Kodak Moment

According to the Urban Dictionary, a "Kodak Moment" is "a rare, one time, moment that is captured by a picture, or should have been captured by a picture." The problem is that with the onslaught of technology, online services, and mobile devices, a "Kodak Moment" has been replaced with cell phones, iPhones, and Droids.

Many an industry has been adversely affected by the digital revolution, and photography is one of them. We don't need film anymore! Or film processing. Or in some cases photographers ... at least not like we used to. So brands like Kodak and Polaroid are left scrambling, trying to reinvent themselves.

The truth is that Kodak has such a strong equity. The brand is synonymous with the special moments in our lives captured as memories by Kodak. So while film was being pushed aside by digital files, Kodak built the Kodak Gallery where consumers can upload their photos to be shared, printed, catalogued, and put onto products like mugs, t-shirts, and calendars. The services are available online and at certain retail partners like CVS.

Great services for photo-obsessed consumers, but is it enough to keep a brand alive? There are just so many other services like it.

Can a share button and a Real Housewife make the brand relevant again?

Maybe. Kodak has a new camera with a share button called EasyShare. So after you take a picture, you can instantly share it on Facebook, Twitter, or email it to friends and family. Sounds like such a simple innovation (and perhaps easily copied), but it might just be enough to make the universally loved brand relevant again.

As for the Real Housewife (in this case Jill Zarin), the brand certainly got a lot of exposure both on the tv show and on the blogs that followed. Just not sure it was the kind that they wanted :-)

What's your experience? Jim.