Stop Press: Leica Does an AC/DC (Back in Black)

[amateriat]

And, no, I don't mean chrome or lacquer: it appears the Company has worked its way out of red-ink territory at last, presumably due to its recent digital product (M9, S2 et al).

What I want to know know is: when is someone coming out with a t-shirt for Leicaphiles like the one currently making the rounds among the Mac-centric?

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/9762/products/ne3g_large.jpg?1288667401

Anyway, good news all-around.


- Barrett

[Paul Luscher]

Good to hear Leica is in the black. But me no want T-shirt. I'd rather be like the camera...discreet.

[chuangyee]

Good to hear Leica is in the black. But me no want T-shirt. I'd rather be like the camera...discreet.

Boxers with red dots for you then. Haha

[Spyro]

From reading leica's fin. reports I get the impression that they simply dont care either way. Like it's somebody's toy shop and that somebody is happy to fund it out of his pocket just to keep it running and churning out amazing toys. But because they are only something like 95% private they have to pretend that they care for the sake of the other 5% they try to break even and occasionally publish some marketing fluff about sales growth, share price etc.

If they really cared about financial results they would've done what everybody else did, go public, stop spending so much on R&D and start spending heaps more on marketing, move the factory to a cheaper place, make a cheaper version of the same thing but with less quality related costs and watch your sales go through the roof. Because everybody wants something with a red dot, just not the price tag.

Of course I dont know, this is just the impression I get.

[Leigh Youdale]

From reading leica's fin. reports I get the impression that they simply dont care either way. Like it's somebody's toy shop and that somebody is happy to fund it out of his pocket just to keep it running and churning out amazing toys. But because they are only something like 95% private they have to pretend that they care for the sake of the other 5% they try to break even and occasionally publish some marketing fluff about sales growth, share price etc.

If they really cared about financial results they would've done what everybody else did, go public, stop spending so much on R&D and start spending heaps more on marketing, move the factory to a cheaper place, make a cheaper version of the same thing but with less quality related costs and watch your sales go through the roof. Because everybody wants something with a red dot, just not the price tag.

Of course I dont know, this is just the impression I get.

On the other hand, there's the example of Morgan Motor Company. They don't seem to have done any of the things you're proposing.

[kbg32]

Has anyone seen the video of Joel Meyerowitz on revisiting Ground Zero with the Leica S2?
Is there anything he won't sell?

[ZeissFan]

If someone was paying you to be a spokesman, I doubt any of us would refuse the check.

[35mmdelux]

Why not have it read "I have an M9" in my camera bag?

[Spyro]

On the other hand, there's the example of Morgan Motor Company. They don't seem to have done any of the things you're proposing.

I'm not proposing anything, I quite like Leica's attitude.
Just playing devil's advocate and guessing what your average MBA egghead would propose. Return on investment.

[Dfin]

Never let the bean counters take control of the company. Look what happened at QANTAS, Worlds safest Airline bar none,bean counters take control, out source maintenance & servicing, profits up, planes down literally.

[Leigh Youdale]

Spyro: I assume then, that you don't have an MBA?

Dfin: That's a total misrepresentation of the facts as any reading of the ATSB investigation released yesterday will show you. But it does fall into the realm of untruths and half truths peddled by people who have unsubstantiated opinions. Whatever the merits or otherwise of outsourcing, it was not the cause of the recent grounding.

Anyway. Both posts, including this reply are off topic and nothing to do with photography.

[Spyro]

Leigh, no. But close enough :)