Failure™ Magazine

Instant History

The decline of Polaroid.

Written by Brian M. O'Connell   Filed under Business, History, Science & Technology

Ironically, the cease production announcement sparked a sales rush, with enthusiasts rushing to snap up what’s left of the supply of film before it runs out sometime later this year. Polaroids are still frequently utilized in a handful of industries, including film and medicine, and some are concerned that alternative technology will have to be found. For example, dermatologists use Polaroid film printed with grid patterns to help measure shrinkage in scars over time. At present, digital imaging doesn’t provide a reliable alternative, which explains why dermatologists are now buying Polaroid products in bulk.

But others have already moved on. Tony Murphy, a lecturer in art and digital technology, says that very few students are now taught traditional film photography methods. “For the last three years most teaching has been almost exclusively digital and the dark rooms at colleges are rarely used nowadays,” he begins. “Students can carry a digital dark room under their arms, so to speak, in the form of a laptop. The whole process is more cost effective.”

According to Murphy, the secret to teaching is applying traditional techniques to digital technology, so that students put considered thought behind image making. “The students these days hardly remember film at all,” he says. “Their parents might have an instant camera in a drawer somewhere, but they have mobile phones with digital cameras. The student wants the fix now and doesn’t want to wait an hour, or three hours, to get their results processed.”

Going forward, Polaroid is looking to survive by gaining a foothold in digital photography, with plans to sell a tiny, eight-ounce, “zero-ink” photo printer capable of printing business card-sized pictures. The company also now has its name on DVD players, televisions and GPS systems, among other electronic products.

As for Polaroid’s instant film technologies, president/CEO Tom Beaudoin says the company is hopeful that another firm might take on the patents and keep Polaroid products in stock. “We’re working very hard to find alternatives with people who might be able to take the recipe,” begins Beaudoin. “But we can’t promise anything.”

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