The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Polaroid

Dear Reader,

Once, photography was slow. Then Polaroid arrived, and suddenly, images developed in real time. No darkrooms, no negatives, just a memory captured and materialised before your eyes. It was instant, tactile, and a little bit magic.

By the 1970s, Polaroid wasn’t just a household name; it was everywhere. Birthday parties, road trips, and art studios. It wasn’t just for family albums; it was for the avant-garde. 

And long before "influencer marketing" was a thing, Polaroid had cultural icons working for them. Andy Warhol never left home without his camera, capturing the glittering chaos of Studio 54.

Helmut Newton used it to frame high-fashion test shots. Ansel Adams, a master of landscape photography, saw its creative potential. Polaroid wasn’t just a camera; it was a medium. Immediate, unpredictable, thrilling. A frame of reality, captured and held in your hands.

When the Picture Faded

But instant gratification has an expiration date, and Polaroid’s time ran out. By the late 1990s, digital cameras took over. Sharper images. Infinite storage. The convenience of a screen. Polaroid, once the trailblazer of photography, suddenly felt slow. 

The brand tried to adapt, releasing its own digital products, but it clung to film too long, failing to anticipate how fast the world was moving. Kodak pivoted early, investing heavily in digital, while Polaroid banked on nostalgia before nostalgia was even a strategy. Sales plummeted. 

The missteps piled up, niche products that didn’t stick, failed experiments, a reluctance to reinvent. By 2001, Polaroid filed for bankruptcy. By 2008, it was over: instant film production shut down for good. The camera that once defined the future had been left behind, a relic in an industry that had moved on.

The Impossible Comeback

But Polaroid was more than just a product; it was a feeling. And feelings don’t die that easily. When the last Polaroid factory in the Netherlands was set to close, a group of former Polaroid employees, led by Florian Kaps, did something unthinkable and brave. 

They bought the factory and its production machines and launched The Impossible Project, an attempt to recreate Polaroid film from scratch. It was a desperate move. The original chemical formulas had been lost, and the world had seemingly moved on. But against all odds, they pulled it off. And just as Polaroid film returned, something strange happened: the world got tired of digital perfection. 

Millennials and Gen Z, raised on ultra-sharp screens, craved something real. The grainy texture, the soft colors, the unpredictability- what was once a flaw became a feature. 

In 2017, The Impossible Project officially acquired the Polaroid name, launching Polaroid Originals before reclaiming its original identity. What had once seemed outdated had transformed into an analog rebellion, a backlash to digital feeds' endless, mindless scrolling.

Marketing That Stuck

Polaroid’s comeback wasn’t just about nostalgia; it was smart positioning. Instead of competing with digital cameras or smartphones, it leaned into its imperfections. 

The faded colors, the light leaks, the fact that every shot was one-of-a-kind. Polaroid became an aesthetic. A brand that couldn’t be replicated by an Instagram filter. And it knew how to sell it. 

Artist collaborations, limited-edition drops, and high-fashion partnerships, from Stranger Things-branded cameras to Keith Haring film packs, made Polaroid collectibles. Scarcity created hype. 

Vintage became currency. Social media became a gallery, filled with user-generated Polaroid content. But the real genius? Polaroid sold an experience, not just a product. A Polaroid photo isn’t disposable like a digital snapshot. It’s intentional. You don’t get unlimited takes; every shot matters.

Shaking Up the Future

Polaroid isn’t trying to be the best camera in the world. It’s playing an entirely different game. It offers something no iPhone ever could: physicality, nostalgia, and a connection to the moment itself. It’s not about megapixels or cloud storage; it’s about creating something you can hold. 

The Polaroid comeback is a lesson in brand storytelling, a case study in understanding the emotional currency of a product. It’s proof that sometimes, the best way forward isn’t chasing innovation at all. It’s about owning what made you special in the first place. 

Because some things aren’t meant to be left in the past, you just have to shake them up and let the colours develop.

Cheers!

Akanksha