Background:
As the digital camera market matured, most brands offered products with excellent technical performance. Differentiating Canon in this increasingly commoditized landscape required a new, consumer-centric approach that went beyond technical specifications.

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Activities:
My objective was to reposition the Canon brand by emphasizing emotional and creative value, aligning with our new brand value proposition: "The Ultimate Creative Enabler." I was tasked with leading a breakthrough campaign that would resonate with consumers, elevate Canon’s relevance, and support the upcoming launch of our first dedicated cinema camera in the new Cinema EOS line.

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Managing a team of agency partners, direct reports and cross-functional colleagues, I led the development and launch of Project Imagin8ion, a fully integrated marketing campaign that invited photographers to submit images across eight storytelling themes. These submissions would serve as inspiration for a short film executive produced by Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard, whom I personally selected for his broad appeal and creative ethos.

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The campaign married still photography and filmmaking, highlighting Canon’s evolving product capabilities and celebrating the power of user creativity. More than 96,000 photos were submitted in 3 weeks (a world record!), underscoring strong consumer engagement. I oversaw cross-channel activation including TV, digital, PR, influencer marketing, and high-profile red-carpet events, including film premieres at the Sundance, SXSW, and Tribeca film festivals.

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Results:
The campaign generated over 3.5 billion media impressions, significant brand buzz, and a revitalized public perception of Canon as a champion of creativity. The campaign was recognized with numerous industry awards including three prestigious Cannes Lions, Gold for Media, Silver for Branded Content and Bronze for PR.  Most importantly, it contributed to Canon recapturing the #1 market position, growing unit share from 37.4% to 50.8% during the campaign period, a substantial lift in a mature market.