全通翻譯/翻譯社

A Question of Focus: Fujifilm Thrives, Kodak Fades

Early this year, Eastman Kodak filed for bankruptcy. It was a stunning tumble from the top of the pile for the 132-year-old firm. As late as the 1990s, Kodak was still rated among the most valuable brands in the world. Then things went digital. By last year, revenues had dropped US$10 billion from a high of US$16 billion in 1996. In contrast, its fierce rival Fujifilm has adapted and thrived. Why this glaring difference in fortunes? 

Even prior to the digital era, Kodak was accused of being complacent, allowing Fujifilm to invade its home market in the U.S. Kodak was also preoccupied with creating perfect products, whereas a “make it, launch, fix it” approach was becoming the norm, according to Rosabeth Moss Kanter, who advised the firm. 

However, the advent of digital was not the crux of the problem. Both firms had anticipated that. Indeed, Kodak had flirted with digital technology as early as 1975. Like Fujifilm, Kodak had foreseen that profits from digital photography would be a fraction of those from film. However, when camera phones sliced into the digital market, Kodak — which had failed to adequately diversify — was left exposed. Furthermore, inconsistent leadership and questionable strategies under a series of poor-performing CEOs made the situation worse. 

Kodak had always depended on its brand image to see it through, but it rapidly became apparent that this would not be enough.

品牌聚焦──富士軟片之興 vs.柯達之衰

今年初，伊士曼柯達公司聲請破產。對於這家擁有 132 年歷史的公司而言，這是從雲端跌落的驚人一跤。一直到一九九○年代，柯達仍被認為是世上最有價值的品牌之一。接著，全球走上數位化的道路。到了去年，柯達的營收已從一九九六年臻於高峰的一百六十億美元滑落了一百億美元。相形之下，其剛強的競爭對手富士軟片卻能夠適應並茁壯成長。這兩家公司的命運為何會有如此明顯的差異？

即便在數位時代之前，柯達就已被批評過於自滿，讓富士軟片得以侵入美國本土市場。柯達也執迷於創造完美產品，但「生產、上市、改進」的做法在當時已成為常態，曾擔任該公司顧問的羅莎貝絲‧莫斯‧坎特如此表示。

不過，數位時代的到來並非問題的癥結。兩家公司都預期到這點。實際上，柯達早在一九七五年就曾在數位科技上小試身手。如同富士軟片，柯達也預見數位攝影所帶來的利潤只會是底片的一小部分。然而，當照相手機切入數位市場時，未能充分多角化發展的柯達就陷入了無法匹敵的窘境。再者，反覆無常的領導人事變化以及連續幾個表現不佳的執行長所推行的策略問題重重，更讓情勢每下愈況。

柯達總是能憑藉其品牌形象來度過難關，但情勢很快變得明朗，光有品牌形象是不夠的。

資料來源：biz 互動英語電子報