NEW YORK (AP) ? Kodak really wants you to like it. Starting next week, the photography company will give Facebook users who “like” it a coupon to print free photos at one its kiosks.
The Details
The link for the coupon will go up on Kodak’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/kodak ) on Oct. 17. After consumers “like” the page, they’ll be asked for their name, zip code and email address, but users can check a box to opt out of receiving messages from the company.
The coupon is for up to 20 free 4×6 instant prints of Facebook photos at a Kodak kiosk through Oct. 23.
Kodak has about 36,000 kiosks across the country in CVS, Target, Ritz Camera and other stores, but only about 20,000 let users connect to their Facebook accounts. To find a kiosk with a Facebook connection, go to http://tinyurl.com/45xo994 .
Kodak’s Facebook site will ask users where they want to get their free photos and issue a coupon for that particular store.
A print typically costs between 14 cents to 28 cents, meaning the value of the free prints is between $2.80 and $5.60.
The Background
Eastman Kodak Co. is an iconic name known for helping turn picture-taking into a hobby for the masses. But the company has been struggling in recent years amid foreign competition and a digital revolution.
The company’s stock lost more than half its value in a volatile day of trading late last month amid speculation that it was headed toward bankruptcy. The company quashed the rumors and said it had simply hired a legal adviser to help it turn around its sagging fortunes.
After four years of red ink, Kodak has projected crossing back to profitability in 2012 on the strength of deep investments in digital inkjet printers.
