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Instant happiness.
Instant photos were the thing in the early ’80s. The original selfie. A way to record your life
before social media. I started compiling the events I attended into mini albums and thought others might
like them as well. I pulled together a business plan and was stupid enough to think Polaroid might be interested
in the idea. They were for a while, and I almost ended up on Easy Street. Instead I ended up on the Street of
Stupid Broken Dreams. I did reprise this idea in the winter of 1994 as Photo Finish. Which went nowhere.
Polaroid Books
SECOND QUARTER 1983
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V
Polaroid gave me this transparent camera. It was fully functional, but with a clear plastic case it over-exposed the film.
July 27, 1983
Mr. ROBERT NEVILLE
Director North America
Pron1.otion Resources
Polaroid Corporation
549 Technology Square
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Dear Bob,
Thank you for your interest in my ideas and also for the camera. Bob Roden enclosed a SLP 680 along with my layouts. The auto focus is great.
An interest on Polaroids part for the instant album and the double pack box design were expressed to me. Great. I’m not holding my breath, but great.
In the meantime, I am interested in working with you on a specific assignment. A defined problem area. Rather than shooting in the dark as I did, I would like a more defined target.
Bob had thought this might be possible and was going to talk with you.
I’ll call in a couple of days to see what you think. Excuse my persistence but I enjoyed my brief exposure to Polaroid.
Kindest regards,
Thom Sandberg
/tl
May 19, 1983
Joseph J. McLaughlin
Polaroid Corporation
Technology Square
Cambridge, MAsAl!aatetts 02139
Dear Joe:
I have June 10 marked down in my Life-At-A-Glance, as the date we are going to meet. The main purpose will be to discuss the “Instant Photo Album.” I have several ideas on what it will look like and how best we can promote it. I will also have a handle on costs.
Part of what I do is promotion work. The main thing I do is solve communication problems. To this end, I have included a mailing I did for a local bank.
The problem was to let a certain group of prospective clients know that F&M Marquette Bank had merged and now had considerably greater assets to lend to companies than ever before. I have included the first of three mailings that we produced as a way to stand out from the other banks in the five-state area, and position F&M Marquette as being innovative and worth listening to. The other two mailings were. “Cash Managemints” and “Credit Limes.” The first mailing was so successful, the bank has yet to follow up with the other two.
I thought you and Reggie might enjoy the candy and the thinking that went into it.
I look forward to seeing you and Boston.
Kindest Regards,
Thom Sandberg
/tl