From here comes the news:
“General Imaging named exclusive worldwide licensee
Already one of the most trusted consumer brands in the world, GE will soon become one of the hottest names in high-quality digital still cameras.
GE and corporate newcomer General Imaging Co. announced today that the two companies have reached an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement by which General Imaging will design, manufacture and distribute an all-new line of GE-branded digital cameras ….
The cameras from General Imaging are truly worthy of the GE name, representative of GE’s leadership in technology and innovation……
The General Imaging Co. Chairman and CEO said the GE brand comes with instant credibility. “GE is a brand that consumers around the world know and trust,” he said. “This is a brand known for innovation and technical leadership. We fully intend to deliver on the GE brand promise and even further enhance the GE brand value.” …. “Style will play an important part in our product development,” Kawano noted. “Consumers are demanding not just advanced features but stylish designs. We’re responding to that demand with cameras that are a statement of style and at the same time have all the latest technology.” …
“According to Kawano, advanced features such as image stabilization, high ISO sensitivity, and panoramic stitching will be standard on ALL models. “With advanced features like this on all our cameras, it will be difficult to take a bad photo,” he said. “GE cameras will literally change the quality of pictures for today’s consumers.”
Entry-level GE digital cameras will start with 7 megapixels of resolution and 2.5-inch LCD screens. Higher-end GE cameras will offer up to 12 megapixels of resolution and 3-inch LCD screens. A photo printer will also be included in the line.
The GE digital cameras will make their debut at the annual Photo Marketing Association trade show, March 8-11, in Las Vegas. Cameras will be available in North America from mid-April. Shipments to Europe and Asia are scheduled for later this year ….
The name General Electric has stood for innovation and excellence since the company’s founding. That was when American inventor and business pioneer Thomas Alva Edison merged his Edison General Electric Co. with the Thomson-Houston Co., creating what would become one of the largest corporate entities in history.
From home appliances to aircraft engines, from impact-resistant plastics to lasers, GE is recognized around the world for delivering technologically advanced products that improve the way we live and work. Fortune Magazine has ranked GE as “America’s Most Admired Company” for six of the past eight years.
With such a reputation, GE-branded products automatically attract attention – and that translates into sales. A survey of U.S. consumers last year showed that more than 3 out of 4 respondents (76%) considered the brand an important part of the purchase decision, and an identical percentage said they would be interested in buying a GE digital camera.
Last September, Thomson Inc., a GE licensee and the world’s number 1 supplier of residential telephones, became the first to bring Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology, or DECT, to America with its new GE line of phones. The DECT 6.0 line has already received strong support from most of the major consumer electronics retailers across the country, and strong early sales are helping GE maintain its top spot in the unit category.
Many GE licensed products have been listed as Consumer Reports “Best Buys” in recent years.
The bottom line is, the GE name is golden – for consumers and for retailers.”
We’d like to note, that at least in Europe, GE is NOT a household name, much less a famous brand yet. Maybe the license will get it there.
