Nikon 2008 Annual Report Download - page 15

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Nikon’s share of worldwide shipments of
digital SLR cameras
rose to 40%
for the year ended March 2008
from 35% the previous year.
Sales of both new and existing products increased
as we expanded our lineup with the launch of
the fl agship D3 and D300 models,
and the D60 compact body camera.
Maintaining Our Position as the Leading
Company for Digital SLR Cameras
Nikon had a 40% share worldwide of shipments
of digital SLR cameras during the year ended
March 2008. We recognize that this is the result
of our efforts to meet customer expectations
with a wide variety of products, from high-end to
entry-level models.
The entry-level model D40, launched in December
2006, was the trigger for Nikon’s gain in momen-
tum, as it provides more people to enjoy photog-
raphy with digital SLR cameras. The D40, with its
affordable price, has helped expand the market
due to its popularity among those who use digital
SLR cameras for the fi rst time. In November 2007,
Nikon launched the D3, the fl agship model of the
Nikon FX-format camera, and D300, the fl agship
model of the Nikon DX-format camera. The “full
lineup” product strategy is to strengthen the Nikon
brand with fl agship models, while also broadening
the market and new customers with greater sales
of entry-level models. Nikon is expanding in both
directions, maintaining its position as the leading
imaging company. We plan to continue developing
more attractive products, and further strengthen
our lineup.
Establishing a Brand Image for
COOLPIX Compact Digital Cameras
Brand awareness for COOLPIX still lags behind that
for digital SLR cameras. One of the issues involved
in increasing this awareness is generating a pre-
mium for the COOLPIX brand. To accomplish
this requires novel and innovative ideas for each
product category, and the development of unique
features. Nikon will continue to develop new prod-
ucts with advanced basic performance and origi-
nal functions, such as models equipped with a
wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) feature to link the camera to
the Internet.
Nikon Annual Report 2008 13