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Nostalgia is driving up sales for Polaroid

Molly Wood and Daisy Palacios Nov 23, 2016
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Visitors check out the Polaroid stand at the 2014 IFA home electronics and appliances trade fair on September 5, 2014 in Berlin, Germany.  Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Nostalgia is driving up sales for Polaroid

Molly Wood and Daisy Palacios Nov 23, 2016
Visitors check out the Polaroid stand at the 2014 IFA home electronics and appliances trade fair on September 5, 2014 in Berlin, Germany.  Sean Gallup/Getty Images
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COPY

More than a decade ago, and perhaps a few times after that, many people believed Polaroid was dead. While it had been a household name for years, many people thought the brand would die in the age of digital photography. But last year, Polaroid made somewhat of a comeback — and this year is looking even brighter.

“What we have found most recently is that there is a whole new generation of consumers who are buying these instant print cameras and experiencing instant photography for the first time,” said Scott Hardy, CEO of Polaroid. “These are the Gen-Y and the Gen-Z generations that are just infatuated with this retro photographic experience that we are able to provide.”

Over the last year, instant print cameras have experienced growing sales, as camera makers like Polaroid shifted their focus to target specific customers. One of Polaroid’s strategies, according to Hardy, is selling its products in the places these customers shop at.

“I think that the ‘hipsters’ are very much fans of what we do,” Hardy said. “If we look at where we sell many of our cameras, at places like Urban Outfitters, in addition to the normal consumer electronic places like a Best Buy, or an Apple store, Target, department store, or a Wal-Mart.”

Listen to the full interview by clicking the audio player above.

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