Photo category creates a summertime snap

Drug Store News, Sept 27, 1993

Summertime is like Christmas Down Under for the photo department--it's the warm-weather holiday season for film, single-use and conventional camera sales, one-hour labs and overnight photo processing.

"Summer months are by far the largest in film sales and photofinishing," says photo buyer Randy Seney of Lewis Drug, based in Sioux Falls, S.D. "There's a peak at Christmas and New Year's but it comes and goes. Overall, June, July and August stay up there all the time."

The long-running economic squeeze means more families are taking modest vacations near home instead of major trips abroad. Thus, it's no surprise that many drug chains are expanding their photo departments and optimizing the neighborhood advantage.

Plus, there are plenty of family memories to document from Mother's Day and graduation through Labor Day, and the bonus of back-to-school. Around half of all single-use cameras are sold between May and August, and roughly 40 percent of consumer film sales occur in that period, according to the latest Wolfman Report on photo marketing.

At Walgreens, spokesman Michael Polzin notes that single-use cameras sell best in the summer. "The more people are outside and doing things, the more they think about using a camera. Naturally, if they're by a pool or on the beach they may not want to bring their regular camera with them."

The quest for vacation value means looking for low-cost fun. The popularity of the single-use camera continues to expand picture taking that otherwise might not happen because of a forgotten camera or a gritty beach trip too risky for a good lens.

Cross it, sell it

Buyers report that cross-merchandising makes film and single-use cameras move swiftly in summer seasonal displays. Clipstrips and wing displays near barbecues, picnic gear, beach accessories and other seasonal gear are effective in-store merchandisers, aside from some concern about shrinkage.

K&B's vice president and marketing director Lance Clark reports that single-use cameras sell well near pool supplies. K&B is moving away from outpost clip strips in favor of secondary endcaps for film and single-use units, since endcaps mean less shrinkage and better sales visibility.

This summer, Lewis Drug successfully merchandised film on wing displays in the greeting card department with birthday and Mother's Day cards. "Our feeling is that people come in to buy a card for an occasion--they can take a picture at that occasion," says photo buyer Seney.

Drug chains and manufacturers, meanwhile, are also exploiting tie-in opportunities for film and photo promotions related to major summertime events. Some of the most visible summer photo promotions have been coupled with major sports events and vacation destinations like Disneyland and Disney World.

Kodak tied in with both this summer. The opening of Disney's newest theme park attraction, Toon Town, created partnering opportunities with drug chains like Thrifty Drug in California for print and TV campaigns to promote Kodak products including film and Fun Saver 35 single-use cameras. And in a late August tie-in, Kodak launched a regional market promotion to promote FunSaver single-use cameras packaged with specific NFL team graphics.

Fuji's summer QuickSnap It! promotion, meanwhile, combined a consumer premium--an inflatable Fuji film float--and store display contest to push Fuji's QuickSnap Plus single-use camera line, including the Waterproof and Panorama models.

On another front, Fuji's Kids in Gear promotion continues into next year and promises both summer clout and year-round legs. "This is a long, building promotion," said Fuji spokesperson Mindy Kramer. "It's part of Fuji's sponsorship of World Cup USA '94."

The Kids in Gear promotion helps communities buy soccer gear for local youth teams through credits via proof-of-purchase from Fuji. Photos of the local teams--taken with QuickSnaps, of course--are intended to build local goodwill for the retailer and enthusiasm for the fastest-growing amateur sport in the USA.

Single use camera sales reached 21 million units in 1992 for all trade channels, up from 15 million the previous year. Roughly half of those units sold in the summer months.

As Kodak's director of drug channel Ed McElroy notes, single-use cameras like Kodak's FunSaver 35 are a big summer hit because they are worry-free (unlike toting an expensive camera).