Tag Archives: Instamatic

keeping an eye out

Posted on March 21, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. As this late 1971 LIFE ad for Kodak illustrates, marketeers had to be creative and inspired to create new copy far faster than the engineers and designers could make new cameras with new features. This version of Kodak’s relatively … Continue reading →

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taking a bigger slice of the pie

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Post war, every company in the photographic  industry worked hard to gain a bigger market share. Kodak, as shown by this LIFE ad from the May 7, 1971 issue (p 65), grouped all the hot button ideas into one … Continue reading →

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that Kodak girl again …

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. early last century, Kodak used the popular concept of sex to sell – in this case Kodak cameras. It was the rather wholesome ‘Kodak Girl‘ who became the central person in the  Kodak ads of the era. She illustrated … Continue reading →

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another KODAK moment

Posted on January 12, 2021 by Robert

Toronto. Between colour media, and home movies, the post war amateur photography market blossomed.   It was often said that Kodak made its money selling film and other photographic consumables using their inexpensive cameras as a means to further sales. … Continue reading →

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eulogy for simplicity

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Kodak made its money in the days of film by selling, ummm, film. And to do that, Kodak sold inexpensive cameras – film burners. But with seemingly a big difference to its competitors – they listened to their customers. … Continue reading →

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most gifted

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. Today when someone says, “most gifted”, we usually think of a very bright child worthy of accelerated and/or in-depth learning. Today, when we think of compact cameras we usually mean smartphones. In the summer of 1967, a Kodak advertisement … Continue reading →

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four, square, and fake?

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. With the ever challenging push for market share, Kodak slayed inept film changing with its Kodapak 126 for Instamatics and the flash bulb fumble with a four pack of mini flash bulbs in its flashcube that goes off and … Continue reading →

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good money after bad

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. This is what we said when someone spent added money on a lost cause. Sometimes a better way didn’t gain traction in the marketplace and fell in the dustbin of history. This happened to Agfa-Gevaert’s rapid film system. When … Continue reading →

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idiot proofing film loading

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. The giant Kodak corporation of mid last century dictated film sizes and packaging. One of their extensive studies showed that amateurs had a difficult time changing film. To simplify this task, Kodak invented the instamatic film pack. This 126 … Continue reading →

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so’s yer mudder

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Robert

Toronto. When I was a kid, one of the insults we hurled at each other was “your mudder’s so ugly she wears army boots”. And the rebuttal was, “so’s yer old mudder”. Well in my opinion, the 1965 Kodak Instamatic … Continue reading →

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