GoPro is still too big a household name for the DJI Osmo Action 5 to compete

The term “action camera” is far too broad: most consumers won’t really know what you’re referring to if you mention them in general conversation. Mention a GoPro, however, and the recognition instantly clicks. Thanks to some stellar marketing over a decade ago, GoPro has established itself as the household name for durable consumer-grade videos.

With the upcoming release of the GoPro Hero 13 and GoPro Hero models, we’ve seen the brand continue to show its power - even though the specifications aren’t all that impressive in the greater scheme of the market. So competitors like DJI, with the Osmo Action 5 also set for a debut before the end of the year, occupy a smaller market share. Even though Osmo models generally beat GoPros in a straight race, GoPro’s greatest asset with the average consumer is their brand name.

In contrast, while DJI has excelled in product innovation, it hasn’t cultivated a brand identity that resonates as deeply from a sheer marketing perspective. DJI’s products are seen as tools, albeit very advanced ones, while GoPro models are seen as enablers of personal achievement and adventure. The digital GoPro as we know it today wasn’t an instant success, with it taking until 2014 to form into the recognizable brand that all following incarnations are based on, but the real game-changer in their sales strategy was in their presentation. Though nothing that the GoPro did was essentially new, it was presented as innovative. Competitors, and even superiors, still look like imitators to this day.

The recent Osmo Action 5 leaks reinforce this: with an upgraded sensor and improved battery life, DJI is often the go-to choice of professionals rather than amateurs. But a higher price point alienates a larger audience: better cameras being passed over for a more recognizable brand.

However, it appears to be an issue that DJI is correcting.The company, which manufactures a range of high-end gimbals, drones and action cameras; has recently shown signs of pivoting to a greater consumer focus. With the release of the DJI Neo, one of the most affordable drones on the market, DJI has begun targeting a market they have generally avoided in recent years. However, with GoPro releasing their own low-budget action camera - simply named the GoPro Hero - alongside their flagship Hero 13, DJI may struggle to gain the same foothold with an affordable action camera of their own. 

There is an element of tribalism to the debate, as well. Camera buffs are notorious for being brand loyalists, with many staying with the same brand for life. Both DJI and GoPro have a suite of fans and defenders, who have stayed with their faction through respective product flops and disappointing launches. And whilst both sides can wax lyrical about the merits and demerits of the respective brands, it’s a simple truth that GoPro is the household name.

Though more details are yet to emerge on the DJI Osmo Action 5, we’re under no illusions as to it having equal promise to the GoPro Hero 13. But even the most disappointing GoPro has more sway with customers than the most innovative Osmo Action camera, once again highlighting the sheer importance of marketing in a product line’s success.