Nikon marketing contact?
July 20, 2021 12:44 PM   Subscribe

Can anyone suggest a point of contact at Nikon (probably in Marketing)? I want to see if they can do anything for a photographer who does a ton of great pro bono work.

There is someone who takes a TON of photos on their own equipment, almost every single day, and shares all their work freely. His subjects are young people training in hard circumstances, and being able to see them brings joy to a thousand or more families, all over America.

(I am aware of their Ambassadors program, but I think this person is a devoted amateur and making money for taking pictures.)

He isn't paid for any of it, and I would like to see if I can get Nikon to throw something his way for being a loyal customer and a generous soul.
posted by wenestvedt to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (3 answers total)
 
Best answer: Nikon occasionally offers grants but they are usually geared towards underrepresented groups, if your friend is part of one. Black Women Photographers recently announced a $40k grant with Nikon. Perhaps you could reach out to them on how they set that up.

I will say, as a photographer, that what you’d like to do is something I have not come across, you would be competing with people who are trying to complete projects/make a living. It’s just a very competitive world.

Is there a gallery in your area that’d be interested in displaying his work?
posted by girlmightlive at 1:48 PM on July 20, 2021 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Memailing you someone.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 3:38 PM on July 20, 2021 [1 favorite]


Best answer: The US subsidiary's name is Nikon Inc and there's a lot of associated subsidiaries. It looks like this person is the Communications Manager for the big US branch. You can message them on LinkedIn (complicated, sometimes requires premium) or search for their email address on Nikon's corporate site or elsewhere. You can also mine their LinkedIn to see who else they are connected to.

Finally, reach out to your network. Who do you know who works with someone who knows someone who works at Nikon? Or your alumni network (as I recall your job, that is relevant)? It's always better to have some connection than none when you reach out.

I suggest honing your pitch before doing so - what does Nikon get out of being generous to your friend? Goodwill is great but not if no one knows about it. So how can you help them publicize it in your local or regional context? What previous press has your friend garnered and how might that influence future press which could include Nikon's generous donation to be? Take a look at Nikon's press releases and social media to get a quick sense of their tone, feel, and emphasis.

If that all sounds like a lot of work (and it is!), maybe your route to success is to gather up your friends and community and ask them to donate towards new or desired gear for your friend. Who knows - if you went viral then you might get Nikon reaching out to you.
posted by librarylis at 6:43 PM on July 20, 2021 [2 favorites]


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