Kodak has gone on the offensive in trying to push its line of inkjet printers, claiming that U.S. consumers “overspent $5 billion on inkjet printing in 2008”. Kodak introduced its line of inkjet printers in 2007, stating at the time that the inks for these printers cost half as much as the competition but produced equivalent quality. Now, in an effort to tie the new trend towards fiscal responsibility with inkjet printer purchasing decisions, Kodak has launched what they say will be a hard-hitting ad campaign to woo customers away from brands that Kodak says overcharge for inks.
“Paying too much for printer ink is a financial black hole that consumers can easily avoid,” said Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “We sell reasonably priced printers that use reasonably priced ink.” Kodak claims switching from comparable consumer inkjet printers to the ESP 3/5/7/9 All-In-One Printer will save the average customer $110 a year on ink.
For details, read the Kodak USA press release:
Kodak Exposes: U.S. Consumers Overspent $5.0 Billion on Inkjet Printing in 2008
Kodak Backs Consumer Inkjet Business with Hard-Hitting Advertising Campaign to Continue to Spur Business Growth%3B Global ‘Print and Prosper’ Campaign Launched March 29
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Mar. 30 — Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today announced the launch of a global marketing campaign to support its revolutionary line of all-in-one inkjet printers. Kodak’s “Print and Prosper” campaign boldly exposes the issue of high-priced ink and how U.S. consumers overpaid for inkjet printer ink – to the tune of $5.0 billion in 2008 alone.*
Kodak first introduced its consumer inkjet line in 2007 and reinvented the consumer inkjet printer industry with a new business model – outstanding image quality, superior image permanence and significant savings on the price of ink. Consumers worldwide have embraced Kodak’s value proposition and the company’s installed base of inkjet printers has grown to more than one million units in the past two years. In 2009, Kodak aims to double that number and is supporting that goal with a series of marketing investments, including the “Print and Prosper” campaign.
“Paying too much for printer ink is a financial black hole that consumers can easily avoid,” said Jeffrey Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “Kodak’s approach is to let consumers know there is an alternative to high-priced ink. We sell reasonably priced printers that use reasonably priced ink, which can save consumers who print a lot on average $110 per year on ink.* That’s powerful – especially in this economic environment.”
‘Print and Prosper’
Kodak’s “Print and Prosper” campaign highlights today’s harsh economic climate and offers consumers a solution to help them save money. Bold campaign headlines will urge consumers to switch to Kodak and stop overpaying for printer ink. A comprehensive global campaign, created by Deutsch NY, launched March 29in the U.S. and Canada, and will be rolled out in additional countries over the next several months.
“This is a big, bold idea that doesn’t tiptoe around the issue and lets consumers know Kodak is on their side,” said Linda Sawyer, Chief Executive Officer, Deutsch Inc. “Kodak has a longstanding, deep and emotional relationship with consumers and, by exposing this issue, that relationship will only become stronger.”
The global campaign is designed to powerfully connect with Kodak’s target consumer – people who print a lot — via television and newspaper placements, social media and websites like www.printandprosper.com. The campaign seeks to ignite the conversation around printing cost, bringing the issue of overpriced ink to the forefront.
In November 2008, Kodak tapped Deutsch to support the company’s inkjet marketing initiative in collaboration with longtime agency partners Ketchum Communications (New York, N.Y.), for public-relations, and Partners + Napier (Rochester, N.Y.), which handles business-to-business marketing.
How Much Do I Really Spend on Ink?
By going to www.printandprosper.com, consumers can calculate in seconds how much they overpaid for ink and how much they can save with Kodak. The personalized numbers, based on printer type and usage, demonstrate that a switch to a KODAK All-in One Inkjet Printer will help consumers print more and pay less. Kodak has also engaged Laura Rowley, an ardent consumer advocate and financial expert, to help expose the issue of high-priced ink and uncover other ways consumers can trim costs at home. Rowley writes a Yahoo! Finance column and personal blog about finance and value. Another effort to help consumers save money is Kodak’s iVillage “Stretch Your Dollar” Community Challenge coming this May.
*$5.0 Billion Overspent in Inkjet Printing
Based on 2008 U.S. annual desktop printer ink revenue and average ink savings using KODAK ESP 3/5/7/9 All-In-One Printer for documents and photos vs. average ink costs of comparable consumer inkjet printers. Actual results may vary. Go to http://www.kodak.com/go/inkdata for details.
*Save on Average $110 a Year on Ink
Results based on average annual print volumes compared to leading consumer inkjet printers. Actual results may vary. For more information visit kodak.com/go/inkdata.
© 2009 Adorama
