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Panasonic (brand)

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Panasonic
Company typeBrand name of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
IndustryElectronics
FoundedMarch, 1918
HeadquartersJapan Kadoma, Osaka, Japan
Key people
Konosuke Matsushita, Founder
Fumio Ohtsubo, President
ProductsTelevision products
telephones
computers
digital cameras
RevenueIncrease¥8,137 (in billions)
Number of employees
334,402
WebsitePanasonic Global Site

Panasonic (パナソニック Panasonikku) is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Under this brand Matsushita sells plasma and LCD display panels, DVD recorders and players, Blu-ray Disc players, camcorders, telephones, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens, shavers, projectors, digital cameras, batteries, laptop computers (under the sub-brand Toughbook), portable CD, analog tape decks and home stereo equipment, electronic components and semiconductors, all of which are marketed under their slogan "Ideas for Life."

On January 10, 2008 Matsushita announced that it intends to change the company name to Panasonic Corporation, effective October 1, 2008.[1] The decision is pending on approval at the firm's annual shareholder's meeting in June. Non-audio/visual products (mostly home appliances) currently branded "National" in Japan will be marketed under the Panasonic brand.

Introduction

The brand Panasonic was created by Matsushita in 1955 for the US, Canada and Mexico because the National brand was already registered by others.[2][3] The Panasonic brand was created from the elements "pan" meaning "all" combined with "sonic" meaning "sound", because it was first used for audio equipment.

Based on 2004 annual sales of electronics, Matsushita is the largest Japanese electronics maker ahead of Hitachi. Within the category of white goods, Matsushita is the world’s largest manufacturer.[citation needed] In the past, due to its imitation tactics Matsushita has been ridiculed in Japan as "Maneshita" ("mane" means imitation), but in fact Matsushita does vast amounts of its own product planning, research and development.

Including its related companies, Matsushita has developed a wide variety of enterprises, centering on home electronics, industrial equipment, and telecommunications equipment. Though not widely advertised before, in recent years its notebook computer line (Toughbook) has gained popularity and commercials for it are being aired on television. Other brand names associated with Panasonic include its Viera televisions and Lumix digital cameras.

The company's management style and corporate culture have been often compared to that of competitor Sony. When Sony is doing well, the number of books that praise Sony management increases, when conditions reverse, then more books that praise Panasonic management style are displayed in bookstores. Regardless of favorable sales and conditions, Sony and Panasonic are often viewed as rivals. This view probably arose from the videotape format wars between VHS (supported by Panasonic) and Betamax (supported by Sony).[4] The largest direct competition between Sony and Panasonic is currently in the segment of audio products; Panasonic is also considered as Sony's rival in sales of flat panel TVs, digital cameras and DVD recorders—areas where Panasonic is focusing its production, marketing and sales efforts. In contrast, Sony has recently diversified into the cinema, video game, and financial areas, whereas Panasonic's whitegoods have no competition from Sony. After Sony's acquisitions of CBS Records and Columbia Pictures, Panasonic purchased MCA (including MCA Music and Universal Pictures) in 1991 but sold it out in 1995.

Matsushita's current corporate strategy is to seek cooperation and joint ventures in the development of certain technologies (such as LCDs), while continuing to compete against other companies such as Toshiba, Hitachi and Minebea to become the benchmark for Japanese electronics.

Automobile Audio

Panasonic sells radio (audio) products for automobiles and light trucks in the US market under the Panasonic brand (aftermarket) and as OEM equipment in automobile brands such as the Toyota Corolla. The primary examples of the OEM Radios are the Toyota Corolla single CD AM/FM radio labeled A51813 and the six disc changer AM/FM radio labeled A51814.

Panasonic Corporation of North America

File:Panasonicphone.JPG
A cordless phone produced by Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation of North America is the name for the American branch of Matsushita. It was known as Matsushita Electric Corporation of America (MECA) prior to 2005.

Panasonic Corporation in Europe

Shop@Panasonic

Shop@Panasonic is a chain of stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland which sells only Panasonic electronics. The store is based on the same structure as Sony Centre. The stores are usually located in shopping centres such as Centrale, and brand itself the official Panasonic retailer.

Panasonic Avionics Corporation

Panasonic Avionics Corporation[5] (PAC) is the world's leading supplier of in-flight entertainment (IFE) and communication systems. Headquartered in Lake Forest, California where engineering, development and testing is performed while system installation, field engineering, major quality functions, certification and program management are performed at the Bothell, Washington facility - Panasonic Avionics Corporation employs approximately 2,800 employees based in over 70 locations worldwide, with major facilities in London, Toulouse, Hamburg, Dallas, Dubai and Singapore. A majority of the component manufacturing is carried out in Osaka, Japan.

The company provides airline passengers with a wide array of interactive applications at their seats, combining entertainment (digital music and movies on demand, games, interactive moving maps, satellite TV, and online shopping) with business tools (E-mail, live flight schedules, and in-flight internet access). PAC is also one of the chief suppliers to both Boeing and Airbus and their IFE systems will be featured on both the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A380 aircraft.

Among the many worldwide customers that use PAC systems are award-winning airlines such as Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America (PNA).

Timeline of Matsushita

  • 1918: Matsushita Electric Factory was founded.
  • 1927: National brand name was introduced.
  • 1931: Production of radios began.
  • 1932: Purchased patents crucial for building radios, and disclosed the information freely to other radio makers as a contribution to the development of the electronics industry in Japan.
  • 1933: Adopted a system of enterprise divisions. Constructed a large-scale factory at Kadoma, Osaka, and moved production facilities there.
  • 1935: Restructuring of Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, establishment of the branch company Matsushita Electric Works.
  • 1941: Joined military production, manufacturing wooden boats and wooden airplanes.
  • 1946: Designated a restricted company by the Allied Powers General Headquarters.
  • 1952: With technical cooperation provided by the Netherlands' Philips Electronics, Matsushita Electric Industrial Company was established. New factory construction and expansion followed.
  • 1954: Began cooperation with Victor Company.
  • 1957: Began the National Shop system—a sales distribution network solely for National products. It was a very effective sales network during Japan's high economic growth period.
  • 1965: Began enforcing weekly two-day worker breaks. Adopted a new sales system that decreased the number of channels involved in the sales process.
  • 1977: Began sales of VHS video.
  • 1983: Launched the Panasonic JR-200 home computer.
  • 1986: Begin using Panasonic as a brand name in Japan.
  • 1989 August 1: Began large scale reform of technology departments.
  • 1990: Consumer electronics products in Japan switched from the National to the Panasonic brand.
  • 1993: Panasonic attempted to profit in the video game market with the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. However, stiff competition from Sony's PlayStation forced the system to be discontinued by the end of 1995.
  • 1993: Cancelled the joint venture agreement with Philips, and changed their contract to closed license.
  • 1994: Established joint venture Panasonic Shun Hing Industrial Sales (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd and Panasonic SH Industrial Sales (Shenzen) Co., Ltd in China with Shun Hing Electric Works (Hong Kong). Shun Hing's Rasonic brand becomes a Panasonic subsidiary.
  • 1997: A group consolidation policy was introduced, reducing the number of subsidiary companies.
  • 2001: Panasonic releases a DVD-capable Nintendo GameCube called the "Q" (Japan only).
  • 2002: Technics products sold in the USA and Europe are renamed Panasonic.
  • 2003: Introduced the global brand and slogan, “Panasonic. Ideas for life.”
  • 2008: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is to be renamed as Panasonic Corporation (pending approval at the shareholder meeting in June).[1]

Sponsorship

Panasonic are the principal sponsors of the Toyota F1 team.

Panasonic is a primary sponsor of Toyota's Formula 1 program (Toyota F1), also known as Panasonic Toyota Racing. Hiro Matsushita, grandson of the company founder, is a former race car driver who stays actively involved in racing.

Panasonic is an official partner and sponsor of Major League Soccer.

Panasonic also owns Gamba Osaka, a team from the J.League, the main Japanese soccer league.

Panasonic sponsored Sterling Marlin in the Nextel Cup Series. Panasonic was to sponsor the 14 in 24 races but the team shut down in July

Panasonic is the primary sponsor of the 2007 World Solar Challenge.[6]

Panasonic has been a "top" sponsor of the Olympic Games since Seoul in 1988

Panasonic is the Official Worldwide Olympic Partner for Beijing 2008 Games.

It is said that in Kachō Kōsaku Shima, a popular manga series written by Kensi Hirokane, the main character works at Hatsushiba Electric, which is modeled on the author’s work experience at Panasonic. The Osaka office which appeared in the comic is supposed to be the Matsushita Twin Tower at Kyobashi in Osaka, and when Kosaku is sent to work in China, the view from the Shanghai office is the same as the actual view from the Panasonic office in Shanghai.[citation needed]

In the popular Japanese Asahi Broadcasting Corporation program Panel Quiz Attack 25, the panel used in the stage setup was developed by Matsushita Electric. During the early days of the show, the technical staff of Matsushita Electric was stationed at the recording studio, in case of any unexpected occurrences.

In the "Weird Al" Yankovic song I'll Sue Ya, he sues Panasonic for "drying his cat off in the microwave oven."

The Sarcology song "Kill Your ISP" accuses Panasonic of having a bad reputation for repairing faulty goods, with the lyric "Two months in the shop is driving me crazy, Panasonic contractors sure are lazy".

Panasonic is also known for featuring Japanese pop superstar Ayumi Hamasaki in their TV commercials.

In the anime television show "Death Note", a large screen showing a news report had a logo saying "Fanasonic", a pun on 'Panasonic'.

In one episode of the Simpsons cartoon, Homer is looking at a Panaphonics brand television.

In Rockstar's video game, "GTA IV", there are various advertisements and logos for an electronics company called "Panoramic" which features a similar font and design.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Matsushita Electric to Change Name to Panasonic Corporation
  2. ^ Panasonic brand history
  3. ^ Matsushita expands use of Panasonic brand name worldwide in April, 2003
  4. ^ VCRs open age of convenience for viewers. Yomiuri Shimbun. The Daily Yomiuri. Pg. 17. May 20, 1995.
  5. ^ Panasonic Avionics.
  6. ^ World Solar Challenge Homepage
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