EDITORIAL - The Kodak of our lives

Except for those who have closely followed it as a matter of business interest, the filing by Kodak for bankruptcy protection came literally as a numbing shock. How can something that has become so much a part of their lives face the prospect of possible demise.   

To most Filipinos the name Kodak is synonymous with pictures and photography. It has become part of the language of life. “Magpa-Kodak” means to have one’s picture taken. And in at least one Cebuano novelty song, “Kodaker” refers to a photographer.           

For a brand name to become part of language suggests in no small measure the success of the brand. In the Philippines at least, Kodak shares that rare distinction with only a very few commercial brands.

Thus, when news broke that Kodak, which is headquartered in Rochester, New York, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Filipinos felt a part of their lives about to become but a faded memory.

And that is sad. But what makes it doubly so is that it is a tale of a company’s failure to quickly adapt to rapid changes in the market, or more importantly, to stay ahead of changes before they happen. But that is something for the business analysts to essay and ponder.

To ordinary Filipinos who do not know how to follow the spikes and drops of business, no performance assessment is required or necessary. The thing is personal. The “Kodak moments” that kept a record of our lives are treasures of the heart, not entries in the treasury books.

To be sure, filing for bankruptcy protection is not the same as cessation of operations. It is not a shutdown or closure. Kodak is not there yet, though only barely so. In a way, it is so much harder — this prolonging of agony.

The thought of losing Kodak induces a deeper personal pain than the demise of other brands. This is due to the nature of Kodak’s relationship with people. A toothpaste brand that has evolved into generic use still only denotes quality oral hygiene. Kodak is different. It is not just about films, cameras and printing processes. It is about life’s greatest moments.

Even now when more and more people no longer use Kodak, on account of more aggressive rivals and changing applications for the same needs, there is still no completely escaping the legacy it has woven through the memories of generations, through the pictures of our lives.