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June 23, 2009

Kodak Takes Away Our Kodachrome Film and Brand Naming

Kodak's Kodachrome color film is being retired after 74 years and there is much nostalgia for the brand name across the blogosphere, not least because of the famous Paul Simon song where he pleads "Mama don't take my Kodachrome away."

I note that despite the film's pedigree as the preferred film for the pro and amateur alike, very few people actually use the stuff anymore - even non digital photographers seem to have switched over to Fuji's Velvia, which may sound like a low-fat butter, but is actually "a contraction of Velvet Media."

Now, there's only one place in America that can even develop the Kodachrome film.

The Business Pundit blog calls this a "necessary but sad" retirement, while Doug Plummer's blog points out that "The film now joins the ranks of the Daguerreotype, Albumen, Kallitype, Palladiotype, Ozobrome, Artigue, Autochrome, Bromoil, and Polaroid," all brand names with great history and nostalgic value, but none which are still in use.

Most of us know Kodachrome not only from the song, but also from the famous 1985 National Geographic picture of the Afghan Girl, which was later updated by photographer Steve McCurry seventeen years later using Kodak Professional Ektachrome Film E100VS.

So what's the big deal?

Well, the name has stuck. It is catchy enough be included in a song lyric and it has been carefully associated with every spectrum of photography in the U.S.

Even though it accounts for less than one percent of Kodak's business, it is easily one of the most recognizable product names they stock - excuse me - used to stock.

Technorati Tags: Kodachrome, Kodachrome Brand Name, Kodak Product Naming, Film Naming, Photography Branding, Fuji Velvia

Posted by William Lozito at June 23, 2009 8:06 AM
Posted to Brand Naming | Branding | Industry | Naming | Product Naming | Sports and Recreation

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