Japanese X100 ad.. wow!

I don't know.. I watched it early this morning - before getting out of bed - I didn't find it that ground breaking and part of me wants to agree with Messr Petronio.

The other part of me thinks, the mere fact that there's an "edgy" ad for a digital P&S quasi-rangefinder type camera is pretty interesting in the sense that it's done differently. As FrankS stated, it's going to have people talking about the ad which will mean they're talking about the camera which MAY mean more units sold = success for Fuji and the firm that created the ad.

On the other hand, how many times have people here stated that photographing the homeless was "disrespectful" (I can't recall the exact wording but it's along those lines)? Yet we have so many of us here saying "whoa, cool advertising" to this particular ad. I'm just curious if we would feel the same way had this been an advertisement for, say, a Canon or Nikon DSLR?

Dave
 
I can only speak for myself, but I think when people say they really like it (Cool!) they mean: "Wow! That was totally over-the-top, I can't believe Fuji spent all that money for this little camera!"

It is, after all, advertising. The presentation may be "innovative" (cough) but the message never is!:angel:
 
So, is this Fui ad different from any other ads? Can all advertising be characterized as: We know you don't really need this crap, but if we present it with cool concepts and make you feel inadequate if you don't have it, we will sell it.

To my woeful recollection comes a (Dudley Moore?) movie about truth in advertizing, with the line: Volvo-boxy but safe.
 
It's important to keep in mind as we comment from N America and EU, this ad is for an Asian market. All of our opinions are for our own respective markets. The ad is bold and brave there is no question it will get attention anywhere it is played. Beyond that I don't know how it will be received in Japan, Taiwan or anywhere else it may run. Does attention = units sold. Yes it usually does.
 
Didn't do much for me. You've seen one homeless person eating out of the bin or taking a leak in the alley... loaded with cliche.
 
Jeez. It's an advertisement, coded by ad execs for the target audience. Would this work for a Canon or Nikon DSLR? H*ll no.

I think the approach of the Fuji ad is interesting. It's almost entirely composed of what would be typical RF-type subject matter and images that show shallow DoF and stealthy approach.That's refreshing to me, because most camera ads focus on the photographer's perception of themselves (read: get this camera and be like this person). No doubt most folks here identify more with with this Leica ad.. Which is the cheesier approach?



/
 
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I can't work out from the ad who the target market would be - apart from, possibly, men.

Well, when you add the moriyama referencing, a multitude of streetscapes, a bittersweet or angsty tension toward life and modern society, copious black and white, a lot of grunge and street scenes, I personally translated that as being pretty obviously directed toward street photographers...

I may add that street photography in the purist form - black and white film/documentary style, is MUCH more popular in Japan and other parts of asia than it is currently in the western world. There is a large community of street photographers, both men and women that are extremely active in taking and showing street photography.
 
I can see it now:
(Company x) introduces a rangefinder made of carbon fibre that brasses like a leica, with a perfect 50mm f1 lens and a digital/film switchable back and a free energy power source that never runs out. Will be sold for $1.99 with a lifetime warrantee.

RFF's reaction:
How dare they try to convince us that we want something that increases their monetary worth as a company and caters almost exactly to our small and otherwise largely considered commercially dead niche hobby, of which we have been pining for new development for the last 5 years. How offensive that they make something that is good and then advertise it in the way that coincides with the style of photography I like!

😀
 
Good on you Gavin. I'm afraid I didn't pick up on any of those references, I don't know what a moriyama is. The ad has definite 'attitude' and, having watched it a second time, it seems to me that it's not just aimed at males but young aspirational ones.

Nothing wrong with that, it's an ad after all and must play to the audience that the commissioning company thinks may buy the product.

There's been talk in this thread of a different Eastern aesthetic. I can understand that.

An example of another ad I don't understand the appeal of is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIDaSDrO3sA

Presumably there is a whole bunch of people who think that's great too.
 
I don't understand Japanese so from what I got out of this ad is that buying an X-100 will get you laid. That or leaving you so broke you'll be digging your dinner out of a trash can.😀

Perhaps Fuji should of marketed Neopan in such a way. Then perhaps it would still be around.😉

Soooo Gooood GB ...hahaha...Wonderful your Mind Ticking !!

GREAT AD ...Racy, Provocative, Edgy.... though I don't own an X100 the ad makes me LOVE photography even More
 
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Good on you Gavin. I'm afraid I didn't pick up on any of those references, I don't know what a moriyama is.

Daido Moriyama is a fairly famous Japanese street photographer:
http://www.moriyamadaido.com/english/

An example of another ad I don't understand the appeal of is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIDaSDrO3sA

Presumably there is a whole bunch of people who think that's great too.

Yes, the resemblance between the two ads is stunning 🙄
 
On second thought, that there is obviously a stereotype of the RF/street shooter, and that it can be used for mass marketing, is a good thing 🙂 Too bad the add doesn't promote a film product (a nuance to what GB said 🙂 ).

Regarding Asia being the target of this add, there are plenty of Asian members on RFF, and commenting in this thread ....
 
Marketing

Marketing

The Idea in marketing when I was in school last century was we don't care if it leaves a good or bad impression because either way you will remember it 😎
 
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