Ben Wilson

He takes a photo of his daughter, and she asks him why she can't see it now. And by the time he's done with his walk, he has the basic outline in his mind for an instant camera. It takes three years to develop, and in 1947, he reveals to the public the Land Instinct camera. Now, this isn't a Polaroid camera like we think of today. It isn't portable. It's mostly used for portraits.

He takes a photo of his daughter, and she asks him why she can't see it now. And by the time he's done with his walk, he has the basic outline in his mind for an instant camera. It takes three years to develop, and in 1947, he reveals to the public the Land Instinct camera. Now, this isn't a Polaroid camera like we think of today. It isn't portable. It's mostly used for portraits.

It's sepia tone, and you have to let it sit for a minute and then peel off like a little sheet of paper and to reveal the photograph underneath. Even so, it's a total revolution. You no longer have to take your negatives to a film store and let them develop it and wait days to get a photograph. You can see the picture you have taken right there at your home.

It's sepia tone, and you have to let it sit for a minute and then peel off like a little sheet of paper and to reveal the photograph underneath. Even so, it's a total revolution. You no longer have to take your negatives to a film store and let them develop it and wait days to get a photograph. You can see the picture you have taken right there at your home.

When he makes the first public demonstration, people are ecstatic. They're thrilled. One professional photographer who sees the first demonstration says, well, that finishes us. Me, I'm going back to the farm. What's interesting about the land camera is that it needs dozens of new innovations in order to work. And any one of these innovations could have been profitable on their own.

When he makes the first public demonstration, people are ecstatic. They're thrilled. One professional photographer who sees the first demonstration says, well, that finishes us. Me, I'm going back to the farm. What's interesting about the land camera is that it needs dozens of new innovations in order to work. And any one of these innovations could have been profitable on their own.

They could have just sold the film or the solution or the casing or any one of these little innovations they have to do and been pretty successful with it, right? They could have just licensed the technology to Kodak or whatever. But according to Land, combining them all together into a single product was the source of the magic. He said, quote, Okay. First of all, I love that.

They could have just sold the film or the solution or the casing or any one of these little innovations they have to do and been pretty successful with it, right? They could have just licensed the technology to Kodak or whatever. But according to Land, combining them all together into a single product was the source of the magic. He said, quote, Okay. First of all, I love that.

I had to do what had never been done. And I find it really interesting. That it's easier, you know, combining all these innovations into a single product actually makes innovation easier. They rely on one another and they strengthen one another. The other point that Land makes about this innovation is that it starts with a need and not with a product, okay?

I had to do what had never been done. And I find it really interesting. That it's easier, you know, combining all these innovations into a single product actually makes innovation easier. They rely on one another and they strengthen one another. The other point that Land makes about this innovation is that it starts with a need and not with a product, okay?

He said, quote, if you sense a deep human need, then you go back to all the basic science. If there is some missing, then you try to do more basic science and applied science until you get it. So you make the system to fulfill that need rather than starting the other way around, where you have something and wonder what to do with it.

He said, quote, if you sense a deep human need, then you go back to all the basic science. If there is some missing, then you try to do more basic science and applied science until you get it. So you make the system to fulfill that need rather than starting the other way around, where you have something and wonder what to do with it.

Because you don't go about trying to create cool new technologies and then find a use for them. You find a human need that needs to be fulfilled, and then you innovate as much as necessary to fulfill that need. When the land camera finally comes to the market in the early 1950s, they fly off the shelves. They can't produce enough. This more than makes up for the lost wartime revenue.

Because you don't go about trying to create cool new technologies and then find a use for them. You find a human need that needs to be fulfilled, and then you innovate as much as necessary to fulfill that need. When the land camera finally comes to the market in the early 1950s, they fly off the shelves. They can't produce enough. This more than makes up for the lost wartime revenue.

And by 1960, Polaroid is doing $100 million in revenue with 2,873 employees. By 1970, they are doing $500 million of revenue with over 10,000 employees. Going back to the theme of marketing that shows and doesn't tell, one of their most successful marketing strategies is to advertise on variety shows on TV. Okay, so think the 1950s version of Jimmy Kimmel or Jimmy Fallon.

And by 1960, Polaroid is doing $100 million in revenue with 2,873 employees. By 1970, they are doing $500 million of revenue with over 10,000 employees. Going back to the theme of marketing that shows and doesn't tell, one of their most successful marketing strategies is to advertise on variety shows on TV. Okay, so think the 1950s version of Jimmy Kimmel or Jimmy Fallon.

And what they do is have the host take an instant picture on air so that people can see what this amazing new product is like and how it works. It's a brilliant piece of marketing to go with a brilliant new device. But this wasn't even the pinnacle for Land because at the same time, he was working on his masterpiece. The Land camera was still too limited for him.

And what they do is have the host take an instant picture on air so that people can see what this amazing new product is like and how it works. It's a brilliant piece of marketing to go with a brilliant new device. But this wasn't even the pinnacle for Land because at the same time, he was working on his masterpiece. The Land camera was still too limited for him.

It was stationary, it took photos in sepia tones, and it was complicated. What he wanted to create was the perfect instant camera. Portable, capable of taking color photos, and producing one simple photograph with no peeling involved. Before we get to that, I want to shout out the Founders podcast. Founders is a great podcast.

It was stationary, it took photos in sepia tones, and it was complicated. What he wanted to create was the perfect instant camera. Portable, capable of taking color photos, and producing one simple photograph with no peeling involved. Before we get to that, I want to shout out the Founders podcast. Founders is a great podcast.