Smartphones have revolutionized the world of photography. Now everyone has a high-quality camera in their pocket and with global access to social media like Instagram and Flickr, photography is more popular than ever. Whereas photography is booming, the world of DSLRs isn’t. The simplicity of smartphone photography makes DSLRs feel intimidating, complicated and time consuming to master. Nikon’s global sales have significantly dropped due to this trend and their challenge for us was to pitch ideas to give the brand and products relevance in today’s world of smartphone photography.
Our RFP was largely based on the insight that to spark people’s interest for a costly purchase of a DSLR, you’d first have to give them the skills to become a photographer, whether they’d use a smartphone camera or a DSLR. Democratizing photography skills and boosting confidence of starting photographers would be the starting point to entice people to buy a DSLR. Our answer: Nikon’s existing I AM DIFFERENT community, with professional photographers and influencers, becomes a global training program.
Meet your mentor
Photographers, brand ambassadors and influencers with different backgrounds and interests would share their passion project on social media to encourage their followers to recreate their own. Each project would include tips and techniques for both smartphone and DSLR photographers to make them assessable for anyone with a camera. Projects would include challenges for different levels so anyone, from entry-level photographer to semi-professional, could join.
The I AM DIFFERENT community
After completing a project, members would share the results on Instagram and tag Nikon to get feedback from the teacher dedicated to the project and the community.
Pop up where the cameras are
Airports were the proposed location of choice for out of home activations. Airports are some of the most photographed places in the world and the majority of travelers have two things in common: they have a camera and lots of time on their hands. Fun and accessible photo projects would be placed all over the airport, including tips and techniques, and an encouragement to share the result with the community on social media for feedback.
The biggest photography school in your pocket
Over time the photography school would get its own dedicated app. Members would create their own profile and be assigned projects tailored to their interest, each aimed at evolving their skills and passion. Photographs could be shared with the community for feedback from peers and professionals alike. Just like the projects on Instagram, each assignment would include tips to execute the project with either a DSLR or a smartphone. In case the user linked their digital camera to their profile, tips and manuals for that particular model would be provided.
Though we did not win the business, a replica of one of the ideas was executed by rival Canon shortly after the pitch. The RFP included a proposal for a billboard campaign with photography tutorials in key cities and locations. This exact idea surfaced on the streets of New York City in December 2015, after pitching this concept to Nikon mid-July.