For the Digital Imaging Reporter’s (DIR) annual State of the Industry report, they customarily have asked industry leaders what they anticipate will happen in the coming year. However, given the challenges we’ve all faced in 2020, DIR thought that hearing wisdom about how they tackled the Covid crisis would be more instructive.
This is Rise Above Research’s contribution.
Lessons from a Pandemic
It’s no understatement that the Covid-19 pandemic forever changed our world. Despite being unable to get together with friends and family, Rise Above Research has observed people are still snap-happy. However, their photos and videos are now more personal in nature, rather than of large family events and celebrations as in the past. Sharing life’s daily moments can help strengthen connections, mitigating the sometimes disheartening challenges of social isolation.
These trying times have also caused many to realize that good times from the past are special memories and should be preserved for the future.
Stay-at-home orders gave them something they’ve always craved more of: time. Some have used this time to do things they were putting off. This includes organizing their photos and videos or starting or finishing projects like creating a photo book or ordering a canvas print. We encourage people to continue to celebrate and preserve their memories in these ways.
Covid-19 also accelerated some buying habits that were already changing. People are looking for more value. They are doing more online shopping and are more willing to try new brands. Suddenly, we live in a world where consumers have easier access to custom photo products and gifts than toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Vendors should capitalize on that opportunity!
For the holiday buying season and throughout 2021, photo equipment vendors and print providers need to respond to these changing habits with promotions, a wide selection of value products, and widespread availability online.
Rise Above Research is a new market research and industry analyst firm. Our mission is to support digital photography and imaging industry vendors, service providers as well as retailers with actionable intelligence to assist them in making effective decisions—during these turbulent times and beyond. riseaboveresearch.com
To read the full Digital Imaging Reporter State of the Imaging Market 2020 story, click here.
Other notable people who also contributed their thoughts include:
- Mike Kahn, Chief Marketing Officer, AEE Technology
- Tom Gramegna, President, Bergen County Camera
- Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, EVP and GM, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon USA
- Gary Shapiro, President and CEO, Consumer Technology Association
- Gary Pageau, Editor, The Dead Pixels Society
- Jenn Sherry, Sales & Marketing Manager, Delkin Devices
- Suzanne Seagle, Director of Marketing, DNP Imagingcomm America Corporation
- Bill McCurry, Chairman, McCurry Associates
- Jay Vannatter, Executive Vice President, Nikon Inc.
- Marc Allcorn, Sales Director, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company
- Mark Comon, Vice President, Paul’s Photo
- Don Franz, Publisher, Photo Imaging News
- Cathi Nelson, CEO and Founder, The Photo Managers
- Marta Martinez, Chief Marketing Officer, Polaroid
- Kaz Eguchi, President, Ricoh Imaging Americas
- Burke Seim, Owner, Service Photo Supply
- Richard Booth, Director of Marketing, Sigma Corporation of America
- Neal Manowitz, Deputy President, Imaging Products and Solutions Americas, Sony Electronics
- Gregg Maniaci, President and CEO, Tamron USA
- Rick Voight, CEO, Vivid-Pix