We’ve been pushing the joy (and importance) of printing images for years now, and quite frankly, we’ve always found it a bit odd that the imaging industry never really did. I mean, the wonder inherent in holding a printed photo in your hand literally carried the photo industry for more than 100 years. So digital technology comes along—and then of course Facebook—and all of a sudden getting an image printed is somehow a hassle, old fashioned, boring?
Well, we are delighted to report that Canon has apparently decided printing photos is an excellent idea—even if they are using some very humorous scare tactics to get consumers to do it. Their new TV spots for Canon Pixma printers, developed by their longtime ad agency, Grey New York, offer up a few scenarios with some dire consequences for those who choose not to have their precious memories printed. The tagline for the campaign is “Never again,” as the folks in the commercials learn a few hard lessons after neglecting to print and utter those two words as a bit of an epitaph.
Our favorite is one of the newest spots (youtube.com/watch?v=Fmle8852VZ0) where a mom is asked by her young son if she has the photo of his recent touchdown. After handing him the DSLR to scroll through, he and his buddy stumble upon a few images of his parents . . . well, let’s just say playfully wrestling. When her son starts asking a few odd questions, mom is seen frantically flying back into the room to retrieve the camera.
Another gem sees poor mom, yet again, explaining to her (maybe) seven-year-old daughter why the printed images hanging in the house all seem to be of her older brother, not her. The nervous explanation is, “Well, when you were born we had Facebook. So you’re tagged in all of mommy’s Facebook photos.” The stone-faced youngster then calmly walks away and begins destroying the house.
Along with loving the veiled shot at Facebook, this one overtly says: “It’s not really a memory until it’s printed.” And we wholeheartedly agree with that notion.
You can check out all the spots on YouTube by banging in Canon Pixma Never Again in the search bar. There are six spots currently running and all are extremely funny—a job well done by Grey New York.
So, in closing, I’ll ask you to indulge us as we offer up a Top Ten in classic Lettermanesque style that continues the photo printing push. Thus, we give you: “The Top Ten Reasons to Print Your Pictures” list, which we hope will help drive the point home.
Paul, drum roll please . . .
10. Hard drives crash; shoeboxes don’t.
9. Watching images zip by on a TV screen in slideshow mode only means one thing—you’re watching TV again.
8. Computer monitor too big to handle by its edges, too big to fit in a wallet.
7. Makes blackmail much easier.
6. Gives an empty shoebox a reason to feel good about itself again.
5. Watching a print of your child come out of a photo printer is a joyous occasion and far less painful than actual childbirth.
4. How else can you get off on freshly printed ink fumes?
3. Prints are easier to burn in a fit of jealous rage.
2. Two words: pixels schmixels!
1. Because the printing process is simply sheer, bloody magic!
Keep pushing the joy of the printed picture; perhaps the photo industry is finally catching on as well.
