Contour camera performed fine when it was at its peak. But Go-Pro's marketing was just leagues ahead.

That's the thing, they are never going to out-do GoPro when it comes to marketing. They should just focus on making a technically superior product at a similar or lower price point. There are enough discerning customers out there to make it viable.

Instead, Contour is focusing on a new marketing strategy: http://www.photographybay.com/2014/01/09/contour-is-back-in-...

Product is important, but marketing is important too; never underestimate it.

Too bad advertising is so important. I thought go-pro was a narcissistic waste of time, but once I saw the how useful they were on the production end of the Gold mining show on the Discovery channel; I realized their value. I hope they continue to improve quality, and lower price points. And not spend more money on advertising.

GoPro's most effective marketing isn't traditional paid advertising, it's the cool video your friend shot & put on YouTube.

Or if you don't have any cool friends, it's Jeb Corliss' "Grinding the Crack"[1]. Given that many credit the massive success[2] of AWOLNATION's "Sail" (the soundtrack to that clip) to the 26M views that clip has had, I wonder how many GoPro's it sold, too?

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfph3iNC-k

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail_(song) (Note that it entered the Billboad 100 a month after "Grinding the Crack" went viral)

Most of their marketing budget must be in the form of event and athlete sponsorships since that's how they get the incredible footage that sells itself. They need to keep maintaining the brand value as similar products come to market to hold market share. This in turn drives sales, profits, and funds innovation and product improvements.

Contour went out of business in the middle of last year but they were bought over and they are back in business this year.

I had a Contour as well. People asked what it was, I would say, "just like a GoPro". GoPro won the marketing battle.