Canon pumping more millions into marketing to stimulate Xmas retail sales

By Patrick Avenell

SYDNEY, NSW: Canon Australia has responded to the growing pressure on traditional retail channels by today revealing it is pumping a further $3 million into its Christmas marketing expenditure. This brings Canon’s total marketing spend for the second half of calendar 2010 up to just under $20 million.

This injection of further cash, just three weeks before Christmas Day, is in response to noticeable trends showing that consumers are buying more products online, buying more house brand or low end models, or not buying at all due to low consumer sentiment. Canon originally planned on spending $2 million on its Christmas marketing, but that figure has more than doubled as the company seeks to reinforce its brand proposition and support retailers.

Canon’s director of consumer imaging, Jason McLean, was direct in explaining that this spend is in response to market conditions.

“We’re seeing a level of pressure being experienced by our retail partners in what is typically the strongest quarter of the year,” said McLean in a statement to Current.com.au. “We remain agile and attentive to the market and our commitment to investing significantly in the channel and consumer engagement programs will help stimulate retail sales.”

The extra cash will be spent in two broad ways: $1.3 million promoting the new EOS 60D and $1.7 million promoting digital compact cameras. Advertising medium will include LED ad screens, banners and billboards and television commercials.

“Overall, the investment we’re making at the back end of 2010 eclipses our investment from previous years. Specifically, in 2H 2010 we will commit a total of $19.9 million — that’s more than our total spend for the full year in 2009.”

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