I wonder if you could help me (nikon advertising project for uni)

[nikon_d50_dslr]

HI,
Im doing an advertising project for my uni course. The project subject is the Nikon D50. I have to create two seperate advertising campaigns, to appear on billboards, adshells and magazines. My target audience is hobbiests/amatures. I'm struggling with how to advertisie the camera, and I thought the best thing to do was to see what the target audience thought. What it is that would convince you to buy the D50? What are the most important features to you? how could these be represented? I'm a complete novice when it comes to cameras and photography so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much for your time.

Karen

[MatsP]

Hi Karen, and welcome to dphoto.

I'm sorry that I'm going to not answer your question directly, but rather help you ask the right question... I think this will ACTUALLY help you more than if I just said a few facts...

First of all, the right question is not "What made you buy X?", it is "What will SELL X?" - What makes me buy something may not be what sells it, if you see what I mean. For example, I have Canon equipment. Mostly, because I have more money invested in one of my (two) more expensive lenses than I have in my DSLR. So I bought Canon because I wanted a Canon that can use my old lenses, not because Canon makes the best camera (which you could argue 'til you're blue in the face if you find the right Nikon/Canon counterpart).

The selling argument isn't necessarily what makes someone buy something, if you see what I mean...

Second, you need to understand enough about the audience - what is the Nikon target for this product (or what does your teacher THINK the target audience is)? How do you get these people to think that the Nikon D50 is the best thing they could buy in that category?

Third, what are the benefits of the Nikon D50 to the target audience? If you find this, you will know how to advertise the product.

Bear in mind that an X-ray machine for a hospital will have COMPLETELY different advertising than a new brand of washing-up liquid would. This is because one is aimed at a purchaser that has to spend maybe $50K, and has (realisticly) some other people, to discuss and study the details with, who know exactly what they are looking for in a X-ray machine. On the other hand, the general public, do not do much reasearch before spending a few dollars on a new bottle of washing-up liquid - it's more glitsy and how wonderfully quick you get the dishes clean - in fact you only need to wave the bottle in the general direction of the dirty plates and the sheen already...

Of course, a camera will be somewhere inbetween these two, both in price and effort put in by the purchaser.

I hope this puts the right kind of questions in your mind to go further on the project.

--
Mats

[Puncher]

I would emphasize that you can:
- Reuse all your high-quality Nikon lenses and accessories
- Have great value for the price (here in Germany it's currently only about 450€!)
- Emphasize the possibility of taking professional-looking photos

Try including photos "taken with the D50" which show the great results you can get.

[FredG]

Originally Posted by Puncher

Try including photos "taken with the D50" which show the great results you can get.

Maybe even some really good ones taken by amateurs/hobbyists, which is the stated target market.