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Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

bbc.co.uk

11–20 of 43 posts

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#11
post #7
post #3

> The camera took 85 days and more than 735 hours to manufacture. During that time more than 550 models and 1,000 prototype parts were made and tested; 55 engineers worked on the process. And > It is expected to fetch between $500,000 (£312,000) and $750,000. If they took the cost of that time and work and donated it directly to the charity how much would it have been?

Ah, but it's not a direct equivalent. Do you think Jony Ive's contract with Apple allows moonlighting?

I didn't mean he should have sold his time to another company..

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#12
post #3

> The camera took 85 days and more than 735 hours to manufacture. During that time more than 550 models and 1,000 prototype parts were made and tested; 55 engineers worked on the process. And > It is expected to fetch between $500,000 (£312,000) and $750,000. If they took the cost of that time and work and donated it directly to the charity how much would it have been?

Obviously, not as much as they expect it to make in sales, or they wouldn't have done it.

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#13
Looking at that, without reading the text, I thought immediately that it looked like Marc Newson's work rather than Jony Ive's.

Then I read the text:

> Apple's feted design chief teamed up with industrial designer Marc Newson

I would say that Marc did most of this, and Jony either just created the collaboration and put his name to it, or his touch was reasonably light.

The only part that really looks like Ive's stamp is the perforated aluminium. Every other curve, the buttons and balance of the design, scream Newson.

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#14
post #4

> 85 days and more than 735 hours > more than 550 models and 1,000 prototype parts were made and tested... 55 engineers worked on the process. Uhh... I think they spent more developing this than what it will fetch. Wouldn't it have been better to just donate the money? A 500k donation at the expense of that many resources...

Do you really think they didn't consider this when making the device? Obviously, they gauged interest and determined that they'll make more money for charity by selling it.

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#15
The charity sector looks forward to a Bono-led recovery

RICH PARADISE, Bahamas, Monday (UNN) — The (RED) anti-AIDS marketing initiative has announced its first annual results.

The initiative, fronted by Bono, seeks to promote a "co-philanthropy" model, wherein companies can do good works by selling products they were going to sell anyway, but with a little red bit on to show how much they care. Really. They care.

"We've worked hard on the model," said Bobby Shriver, (RED) CEO. "It's been a brand launch designed to get people used to the idea of an entirely new fund raising model. Because (RED) is explicitly NOT a charity, we encourage our partners to go about their business including their marketing. Gap, Apple, Sprint and other sales people are meeting Americans and explaining that 5,500 Africans dying daily of AIDS is preventable."

"The publicity has been fantastically effective," said Bono from his Caribbean island. "Steven Spielberg smiling down from billboards in San Francisco, Christy Turlington striking a yoga pose in a New Yorker ad, me cruising Chicago's Michigan Avenue with Oprah Winfrey, eagerly snapping up Red products, Chris Rock appearing in Motorola TV spots saying 'Use Red, nobody's dead', and the Red room at the Grammy Awards. This is something to be really proud of."

Zombie Steve Jobs also voiced his support. "I don't see how else you can assuage your OVERWHELMING GUILT at your comfortable life and income without a Red U2 iPod on your belt. Imagine the SHAME if people saw you with a plain white or black one. The SHAME."

The stunning return to AIDS charities for 2006 was $18,000 on over $100 million in marketing and consumer spend. "The only way is up!" said Shriver. "Onward and upward!"

"Buy more stuff!" said Jobs.

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#16
post #4

> 85 days and more than 735 hours > more than 550 models and 1,000 prototype parts were made and tested... 55 engineers worked on the process. Uhh... I think they spent more developing this than what it will fetch. Wouldn't it have been better to just donate the money? A 500k donation at the expense of that many resources...

It's called marketing. Ive "designing" a limited edition Leica is like Murakami being involved with Louis Vuitton.

Lecia needs people to believe that their cameras are worth a lot of money and involve a much greater amount of design work and craftsmanship than a standard Canon.

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#17
post #4

> 85 days and more than 735 hours > more than 550 models and 1,000 prototype parts were made and tested... 55 engineers worked on the process. Uhh... I think they spent more developing this than what it will fetch. Wouldn't it have been better to just donate the money? A 500k donation at the expense of that many resources...

I think they just wanted to make a bloody awesome camera, that also happens to generate money for charity.

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#19
post #2

I'm always uneasy with the idea of (RED) charity: the message is "save the world by buying stuff". It's just consumerism with a bit of karma, no?

Sure, Product(RED) is designed to help you feel better about buying stuff you don't really need, but the high marketing spend is hardly much different than other charities. It's a "why not?" but don't assume you're done helping others for the year since you bought a (RED) iPad!

If you want to donate efficiently, may I suggest typing :help uganda into vim?

Re: Jonathan Ive designs Leica camera for Red charity

#20
post #8
post #4

> 85 days and more than 735 hours > more than 550 models and 1,000 prototype parts were made and tested... 55 engineers worked on the process. Uhh... I think they spent more developing this than what it will fetch. Wouldn't it have been better to just donate the money? A 500k donation at the expense of that many resources...

You assume they aren't getting anything else from that. Presumably it also counts as R&D for future products.

Reciprocally, Project (RED) also gets Ive's name to draw attention.
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