Canon: Leaders On Land and Sea
We chat with Canon about their branding and marketing efforts, and trends in Asia Pacific
It’s been over 70 years since Canon was founded and for a brand that annually invests 10% of its revenue on R&D alone, there’s no denying that it has gained an iconic status few can rival. Rich history, innovative technologies, outstanding product performance – it seems like this maker of imaging and optical products has got it all figured out, both on land and underwater.
WHAT DO YOU KEEP IN MIND WHEN CREATING NEW PRODUCTS FOR UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHERS AND VIDEOGRAPHERS?
We carefully consider the shooting environments of our photographers, be it on land or underwater. With that, we develop our products to be able to handle even the most tricky lighting conditions with the adjustment of white balance.
IS THERE A PRODUCT THE BRAND’S ESPECIALLY PROUD OF?
Our flagship DSLR, EOS-1D X, is crafted for professional photographers and it’s definitely an iconic product. Due to the challenging demands of the professional photographers that believe in our brand, we invested heavily in R&D for the EOS-1D X and installed top-of-the line technologies in this full-frame performer.
WHAT STEPS IS THE BRAND TAKING FOR MARKETING AND BRANDING IN ASIA PACIFIC SPECIFICALLY?
We place focus on both on-ground and digital activations. An example of on-ground activation is the regional tour we had for the launch of our EOS 5DS/5DS R cameras. Visitors were able to experience the super high resolution cameras firsthand before they were available in the market. As for digital activation, we place emphasis on education. Hence, we have established an online platform called SNAPSHOT, where both professional and amateur photographers can read articles on photography tutorials, Canon’s latest products, interviews with developers, and so on.
DO YOU FORESEE ANY UNDERWATER PHOTO AND VIDEO TRENDS COMING UP?
The underwater photography market has potential for growth, especially in Asia Pacific, where one can find many beautiful dive sites. Many divers are picking up underwater photography and videography as a casual thing, and many are taking underwater selfies – something which we identify as a big upcoming trend.