Kodak Canada is planning to raise the profile of its nine-year old Kodak Image Center program with a national advertising campaign that puts brand control back in the company’s hands.

The advertising will roll out in 1996.

In the past, Image Center advertising has been a co-operative effort with dealers in flyers or local print media.

Dealers have been treated essentially like franchise operators, left to promote themselves on their own in their particular markets.

The new company-directed campaign is intended to deliver a more coherent and consistent image across Canada.

Randy Webber, marketing manager for Kodak Image Centers, has been conducting a review for several months and will soon be announcing the agency that will be handling the assignment.

Webber expects radio to be the primary media used in the new year as a result of a test radio campaign conducted in markets across Canada this past summer.

‘We made a significant buy across a broad spectrum of radio stations in terms of demographic profile and appeal to consumers,’ he says.

‘We got good feedback on consumer reach, effectiveness and not only consumer awareness, but awareness at the dealer level.’

Kodak Image Center is a relationship marketing program designed for independent photo-specialty retailers.

Participants in the program buy under a common banner, Image Check, and benefit from volume discounts on purchases previously only available to chains.

The program allows Image Center retailers to be more competitive in the marketplace.

Webber says while many believe the major competition would be national chains and other independents, it really comes from price cutters such as warehouse clubs and food stores that are using low-price photofinishing as a way to build business.

In addition to volume buying, Webber says the association with Kodak also gives retailers credibility with customers they could not afford on their own.

Image Center retailers benefit from visual in-store ties to the Kodak name through the use of some of the company’s national brand marks and a consistent look in signage and store design.

Compliance with the criteria set up for Image Center participation also nets each retailer additional financial rewards each year.

Image Center is a Canada-only program.

It was introduced in 1986 and by the end of this year will have more than 300 retail outlets participating across Canada.

The same concept is used by Kodak worldwide although the u.s. pulled out of the program in 1988 because it felt there was not sufficient legal protection for the trademarks in that country.

Outside of North America, it is known primarily as Kodak Express and has more than 35,000 participating retailers around the world. PS