By Patrick Avenell

SYDNEY, NSW: After a four year stint on the retail side of the industry, David Allen has returned to his roots as a digital sales specialist at premium camera brand Nikon. Allen has formerly worked at Sony Australia and Narta.

First joining the consumer electronics industry as an audio specialist for Sony in 1990, Allen oversaw the successful Walkman, Discman and DVD introductions, in addition to establishing Sony’s well-regarded retail training schemes, before leaving in 2007.

He joined leading CE and appliance buying group Narta as the digital products manager. This was at a time when JB Hi-Fi was completing its transition from nascent retail chain to monolithic consumer electronics giant. After deciding it was time to return to supplying products, he took a call from Nikon, who were looking for a new national sales manager to spearhead an aggressive new push into its traditional digital imaging segments.

When he started at Nikon last month, senior marketing manager Nick Segger had just launched the new I AM masterbrand campaign. Allen now plans on leveraging this campaign and Nikon’s brandname in the marketplace to improve marketshares primarily in DSLR, but also in the Coolpix compact space.

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“We need to improve our engagement with our customers — both retailers and consumers,” Allen told Current.com.au. “To do that, we’ve been adding new business managers to the sales team.”

Allen said Nikon will have a new consistency in its brand message, with the I AM campaign, which features Robbie Williams and Jamie Oliver, confirmed for a 3-year run.

“We have a very strong brand, but we could do a better job leveraging it,” he said.

Allen outlined a number of key goals Nikon wants to achieve in the next six months. These include market share improvements, new product releases, greater engagement with retailers, more merchandising, greater involvement in retail training and better supply chain management.

“I’m very positive about DSLR growth — this is the strongest range Nikon has ever had,” Allen said.

For more information on what Nikon is up to, visit its My Nikon Life website.