Inkjet & Digital Printing
Kodak Unveils New and Improved KODAK Express Digital Solutions Program
Friday 01. February 2008 - Leverages Combination of Kodak Brand, Products and Services and Worldwide Reach to Empower Retail Photo Specialty Partners Globally to Reap Benefits of the Digital Transformation
At the Photo Marketing Association Show (PMA), Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) showcased its newly enhanced KODAK Express Digital Solutions Program (KEX), which helps photo specialty retailers worldwide leverage the KODAK brand to maximize their growth potential. KEX-powered stores are present in over 26,000 locations, in 41 countries around the world. In particular, Kodak will show how the value-add, service-based KEX store owners can encourage consumers to try new services, go beyond traditional 4×6 prints and embrace more creative uses of their images. In doing so, Kodak helps these store owners become the preferred destination for photography-related products and services.
“Consumers trust the Kodak brand and our partners running the KEX stores worldwide function as trusted guides to them when seeking products, services and support in photography,” said John Culverhouse, Worldwide Marketing Director, Retail Printing Solutions, Eastman Kodak Company. “With our improved KEX program, we empower these partners to fully leverage both our brand and our resources to create an environment that informs and inspires consumers to engage more with their pictures, both in terms of the services offered, quantity of pictures printed, as well as the type of output. It starts with the digitizing of consumers old photographs with scanning services, through to the output of photo books, collages, calendars and other photo specialty items – all of which increase both traffic and revenue.”
At PMA, Kodak will demonstrate the centrally located KodakExpress.com Internet site, which has many levels of access, including a store directory for consumers in more than 30 countries and 18 languages. The store level of access, or “Portal,” is used to support and communicate with its stores worldwide. It comprises:
Support and training guidance
Store solutions
Marketing tools
Branding information
Administrative guidelines
Print Shop concepts
From this portal, affiliated stores can easily access and understand new offerings from Kodak, as well as leverage the worldwide network. Kodaks newest in-store merchandising solutions, which include a unified look-and-feel, product placement recommendations and marketing materials, are designed to encourage more consumer traffic and photo product purchases. Kodak also ensures that KEX-stores not only know of new products and services available from Kodak, but also ways in which they can leverage them to drive business, such as the new KODAK Adaptive Picture Exchange (APEX) system introduced at PMA. Finally, the KEX network gathers and shares best practices from store owners and managers worldwide to drive increased traffic and revenue.
“The new KEX program brings together the best of both worlds,” said Culverhouse. “It offers a unified look and feel, comprehensive information and marketing recommendations to ensure the highest-quality experience for consumers anywhere in the world. At the same time, it empowers our KEX store owners to adapt and implement solutions appropriate for their markets.”
Kodak Image Center Solutions (KICS) Stores, a similar program but based only in the United States, are also benefiting from the work being carried out in support of the Kodak Express Digital Solutions Program