With the launch of the Instax Mini Evo Cinema, Fujifilm is expanding the Instax ecosystem beyond instant photography. The hybrid video-led camera allows users to capture short video clips as well as still images. Users can also print Instax photos that include a QR code linking them back to the video—hence, blending physical prints with digital content. Speaking to IMPACT Magazine, Arun Babu, Associate Director & Head of Electronic Imaging, Instax™ & Optical Devices Business, Fujifilm India, said the move reflects changing content habits among younger consumers. “Today’s generation is evolving between images and cinema, especially short, story-led content on social media,” he noted, adding that the idea was to let users create “Short stories that can be experienced both as videos and as images,” while still retaining the nostalgia associated with instant photography.
Read excerpts from the interview:
The Mini Evo Cinema features an Eras Dial. Can you guide us through what it is and how it works?
This camera features different decades, from the 1930s to the 2020s, with each era having its own look and sound. For example, the 1960s reflect the feel of 8mm film cameras, the 1970s capture the look of colour TV and CRT screens, and even the sound of early film rolls from the 1930s has been embedded. So, users get the nostalgia of how images and content looked across different decades. Since every era changes in look, feel and audio, the storytelling also becomes different, which I feel is the most important feature of this camera.
With Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aaryan as brand ambassadors, are you entering a new phase of collaborations with the Mini Evo Cinema, and how has their association impacted the brand’s growth?
Kriti and Kartik are our brand ambassadors and they represent Instax in the country. The category has been growing for us, and they are the right fit for the brand because they inspire a lot of Gen Z and millennials. People look up to how they use and like the product, and that is the trend right now. They have been major contributors to building the brand in the country. Along with this, we continue to explore other collaborations. Last year, we worked around festivals in the South, like Onam, and also collaborated with Bengali celebrities and smaller creators for our social media campaigns. While we work with different celebrities across the country, Kriti and Kartik remain our main brand ambassadors for the category.
For this particular range, because it is more of a storytelling camera, we have also collaborated with Imtiaz Ali for the launch. He has tried and tested the product and shot short content using this camera. We will also be holding a contest that will be judged by Imtiaz Ali. For this, we are encouraging Gen Z and millennials who are creating content on social media to participate. With this camera, you can create a 15-second video and, with the app, extend it to 30 seconds through editing. If you can tell your story in a nice way within the next three months and share it on the Instax India Instagram handle, you may be the lucky one to win an award.
Shifting focus to the brand, could you share the current advertising spend and how it is divided between performance marketing and brand-building campaigns?
From 2020–21, we became more aggressive with our brand campaigns, initially focusing on building awareness. Now that brand awareness is strong, especially in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities, we are spending more on brand-building in Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets. In Tier-1 cities, where the brand is already well established, we focus more on performance marketing to drive business across different channels.
When it comes to influencer marketing, how do you choose your influencers? You also mentioned regional influencers, so what are the key factors you consider while selecting them?
All our products have different personas, with prices ranging from around ₹6K to ₹47K–₹48K, along with different colour variants and features. Based on these features, we work with different influencers. For example, this camera is more about storytelling, with the Eras Dial as a key feature, so we reach out to influencers who can create strong storytelling and influence new customers. Similarly, our instant cameras are more lifestyle-led, where fashion and lifestyle influencers are a better fit. So, based on the product, we choose our influencers, and we work with a wide range of creators depending on the category.
We’ve also heard about the Undisputed Breaking Championship. What was the objective behind this association, and what kind of outcomes are you expecting from it?
It is going to happen by the end of January, and it is a global collaboration with Undisputed. They are coming to Delhi, and we are very excited about it. We also know that there are a lot of Undisputed fans in the country, so we are looking forward to meeting them by the end of January. They have been going around the world and have done wonderful events globally, so for us, it will be the first time to experience this kind of event in India. We are in talks with them and we are hoping that the event will go well. I think around January 31 is the date for the Undisputed event.
Fujifilm is known for its strong digital presence. How do you balance spends between traditional media like print, TV and OOH, and new-age marketing, and which digital platforms are you most active on?
We invest in both traditional and new-age marketing. Last year, including during Diwali, we were present across OOH formats nationwide and also in print. While most customers are attracted to new-age marketing, traditional media still has value, so we maintain a balance between the two. In terms of spend, around 40% goes into traditional marketing and about 60% into new-age marketing. On digital, we are active across platforms including Google and Meta, and since we also have a D2C site, we promote our own website as well. We also work with quick commerce and e-commerce platforms, ensuring presence across all major channels in the country.
With the Mini Evo Cinema, are you looking to widen the target audience and adopt different engagement strategies beyond younger consumers?
Anyone who loves storytelling, regardless of age, is part of our target audience. While Gen Z and millennials who are into content creation remain the core focus, we will also reach out to anyone interested in creating unique storytelling content. Since this is our flagship and premium model, we also plan to do touch-and-try sessions, where people can experience the product before buying it. We will run these activities across big cities, including in malls, and those plans are already in the pipeline.
Can you share how Fujifilm India performed last year and what your key priorities are for the coming year, especially with the recent launches?
We are still in the last phase of our financial year, which closes in March, so it is early to comment on the overall revenue figure. However, as a category, Instax is growing. Last year, we grew by almost 45%, and we are on a similar growth path this year as well, but we will share the official numbers once the financial year is complete. As a brand, it is a tradition for us to launch a product at the beginning of the year. Last year, we launched the Wide Evo camera in February, and this year we launched this camera in January. There are more launches planned within this financial year, and we are hopeful of delivering similar growth going forward.
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