Today’s post is especially important for radio and print, as the parallels to Kodak’s struggle are important.

Kodak, the iconic film-making brand, has filed for bankruptcy in an attempt to survive after years of plummeting sales in its film division.

It’s no surprise why Kodak has been on the brink for years, as “digital” has taken over.  Going to the store and buying film, or a camera that needs film, is like renting Betamax or VCR tapes.

We spend a lot of time in this space and with clients talking about evolution, innovation and adapting to new times.  What makes this Kodak story scary, and it’s something for old media brands to consider, is that Team Kodachrome tried to evolve – they saw the digital train coming and hopped on-board in full force.  Kodak makes digital cameras, printers, memory sticks, digital frames, wireless accessories, etc.  They’re not asleep at the wheel.  Just like old media brands have flashy websites, apps and podcasts.

The rub here is that Kodak was so well-branded – everyone knows they’re the king of film.  Job well done in the ‘70s and ‘90s, but a big problem in 2012.  Film has become antiquated for most.  If Burgers all of a sudden became obsolete, would you buy stock in McDonald’s?

Once the digital, non-film camera category exploded, Kodak was behind the 8-ball in brand image and positioning, and facing fierce competition from brands that already owned key images and a nice piece of the digital and camera pie.  Remember – Canon is best-known as a camera company, Kodak is best-known as a film company.  That’s a big difference for today’s discussion.

So for our old media friends and clients, this Kodak story hits a nerve and is another reminder that no matter how strong a brand is today, it can be face a lot of trouble tomorrow if the times pass us by.  As you lay out plans for 2012 and beyond and do a new S.W.O.T exercise, remember the “T” portion isn’t just threats from your own category or a station down the dial.  It also must include technology and brands in other categories.  Spotify, iPads, Pandora, Social Media, etc. – every brand is fighting for revenue, consumer time and loyalty.  100% of revenue or usage time in a category today may be far less than it was when Kodak was the king of making film.

Say cheese …