Revitalizing Polaroid: Bridging Generational Gaps through Branding During a Global Crisis
Challenge:
Polaroid, an iconic legacy brand, was facing a dilemma. Despite having a brand recall equivalent to Coca Cola, sales were dwindling. The mission was to make Polaroid relevant to today’s youth, despite the challenging conditions created by a global pandemic. The marketing team was also in a precarious state due to high turnover and the impact of the pandemic, placing the entire department at risk of collapse.
Approach:
Chameleon Collective responded quickly, positioning an Interim CMO, VP of Brand, and VP of Digital to support the Polaroid team. These roles offered leadership and steered remote global teams, prioritizing delayed initiatives and identifying opportunities for improvement. Simultaneously, Chameleon Collective refreshed Polaroid’s brand, leveraging its heritage and values to resonate with young consumers. An internal agency was formed to operate under this new narrative, strategically positioning products and guiding Executive Leadership on best practices.
Impact:
The transformation has been groundbreaking. Retailers are now equipped with sell-in decks that position Polaroid as a reliable sales partner for the first time. This fresh approach resulted in exceeding sales objectives, with the first two products launched under this model selling out and being waitlisted. This case study illustrates how Chameleon Collective effectively managed a dual challenge – stabilizing an at-risk team and revitalizing a legacy brand in a global pandemic.
