The Polaroid Strikes Back

It was only a short while ago, when the world learned that the Polaroid camera business had become unsustainable and would be shutting down its business forever. The days of waiting for a picture to develop were truly over.

Apparently our prayers to the Lord On High have been answered, because Polaroid is poised for a come back. In an unexpected twist, it appears as though nostalgia has won out over technological superiority and the modern requirement of being able to put your photos up on Facebook. As Business Week reports, "Polaroid plans to cater to the nostalgia for a technologically less fettered era." Hey, I think Polaroid pictures are as neat-o as the next guy, but I'm not sure nostalgia can carry a business.

Unlike most of the other stories I have been commenting on, this development doesn't mark a transition from old to new in the media world. In fact, it's quite the opposite. But that's what makes it so fascinating to me. What brands or media will American consumers choose to hang on to out of nostalgia, despite the presence of something newer, better, and shinier? Why is Verizon so sure landline phones are dead, while Polaroid thinks that consumers might wanna give their cameras another go?

To be honest, I don't think a Polaroid camera revival is necessary or even a worthwhile product to spend your money on, but I genuinely appreciate the value of nostalgia. Because it is out of nostalgia for the media we are saying goodbye to that I write this blog. The times may be-a-changin', but it's good to know that there is still some amount of nostalgia rather than just technological innovation and convenience that has an impact on the media we consume.