[Leica] Leica donation to students

[leicagalpal at earthlink.net (Kit McChesney)]

Greg--

Leica has inadvertently pushed itself into this niche, with a product that
has a different appeal than these products. Leica is a tool. A Rolls is a
car, a status symbol. As is a Patek watch. Or a Mont Blanc pen (everyone
knows Mont Blancs leak!). 

Leica has made itself exclusive, I'd say, by accident. And by doing so, it
has cut off its core market. People who use cameras to take pictures. I'd
bet that they didn't envision that they'd be here, stuck in an elite corner
of the market, priced out of range of most of the people who could keep them
in business. They've responded to this by introducing products that appeal
to collectors who don't (necessarily) shoot. 

Nope, if they want to be taken seriously as a camera and lens manufacturer,
they are going to have to acknowledge that a big fat chunk of their core
market is now unable to buy their product. That's what I meant by what
you've quoted here. 

Kit 

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+leicagalpal=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+leicagalpal=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
GREG LORENZO
Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2004 11:55 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: RE: [Leica] Leica donation to students

Kit McChesney writes in part:
> 
> No one wants to be so exclusive that few customers can afford to 
> buy their products. Anyone who does should not be in business. 

Kit, where have you been for the last 50 years? Companies who want to be
"exclusive" are legion in number. There are considerable numbers of
"exclusive" and expensive producers of goods today. To list just a few:
Rolls Royce, Patek Phillipe, Mont Blanc, Versace, Alfred Dunhill, Giorgio
Armani, Mercedes Benz, Lange and Sohn, Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Rolex,
Tiffany, Ritz Carlton, Porsche, Harry Winston, Chateau Margeau, most Cuban
brand Cigars, etc., etc., etc..

There are also legions of companies who are making considerable efforts (and
investment) to join the club. Volkswagen with their Phateon serves as the
strangest current example!

To my mind Leica, except for some of their attempts for instant collectable
cameras, does not qualify as "exclusive" to the same degree as most of the
above. They are however a higher priced niche player and seem to quite happy
playing that role. Less expensive Leica cameras and lenses are not
economically feasible. Leica supplying "free cameras" is just plain crazy! 

Regards,

Greg

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