1. Background — Who Is Max Richter?
Max Richter is Co‑Founder and Vice President of Marketing at Insta360, responsible for shaping the company’s global branding and international expansion strategy across key markets — from Shenzhen to Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Berlin. (Visual 1st)
- Born and raised in Stuttgart, Germany, Richter grew up around photography thanks to his father’s business, which planted early seeds for his creative and technical interests. (Forbes)
- He studied engineering before pivoting to business and marketing — blending analytical and creative skill sets that align with Insta360’s product philosophy. (Forbes)
- Before Insta360, he worked at DJI, helping establish its European presence — a formative experience in fast‑moving consumer hardware markets. (Forbes)
2. Joining Insta360 — Why He Believed in the Vision
Richter joined Insta360 when it was still tiny — the team was about 50 people and its early 360 cameras were technically interesting but not yet market‑ready. (Stuff)
- Initially inspired by the founder JK Liu’s open‑minded culture and user‑centric product ethos, Richter left DJI to help build the brand internationally. (Forbes)
- Early products like the Insta360 Nano and 4K Beta models were niche, but they revealed a potential user base craving immersive content tools. (Forbes)
- A defining pivot came when the team observed users adopting the cameras for action sports and real‑life moments — leading to breakthrough features like FlowState stabilization, which helped Insta360 outsell major competitors. (Forbes)
3. Leadership & Marketing Philosophy
Richter’s approach to marketing is shaped by user insight, community engagement, and storytelling:
- He frequently checks user‑generated content and social tags, finding direct inspiration from what creators are doing with the cameras. This informs product decisions and marketing narratives. (Forbes)
- The company’s mission, as described by Richter, is to help people better capture and share their lives — not simply sell hardware. (Marketing-Interactive)
- He believes passion, resilience, and openness to experimentation are more important for long‑term success than chasing short‑term financial gains. (Forbes)
- Daily routines include cross‑zone meetings (LA, Japan, Berlin) and leveraging multilingual skills (German, English, French, Chinese) to sustain global coordination. (Forbes)
4. Global Brand Strategy & Market Expansion
Richter plays a lead role in international growth and brand positioning:
Driving overseas revenue:
- More than 70 % of Insta360’s revenue comes from overseas markets, reflecting a strong global strategy anchored in diverse regions. (Stuff)
Flagship experiences and retail:
- Under his guidance, Insta360 has been opening experience‑driven flagship stores, like the first in Melbourne, Australia, and another in Hong Kong, emphasizing community engagement alongside product showcase. (PR Newswire)
- These spaces aren’t just stores — they are creative hubs encouraging novice users and seasoned creators alike to learn, play, and share stories. (PR Newswire)
Strategic partnerships:
- A standout achievement was initiating a multi‑year collaboration with Leica, combining German optical excellence with Insta360’s innovative thinking — a partnership Richter calls a full‑circle moment given his upbringing. (Forbes)
5. Products & Innovation — Marketing Meets Engineering
Richter’s marketing strategy deeply integrates product storytelling:
Product launches:
- He champions products that democratize storytelling — e.g., GO Ultra (a highly capable pocket camera) and AI speakerphone Wave for versatile content capture and communication. (PR Newswire)
User‑first innovation:
- Rather than positioning Insta360 purely against competitors like GoPro, Richter emphasizes tools that empower authentic moments, from family memories to professional creative work. (Forbes)
Community support:
- Initiatives like the Think Bold Fund encourage creators to push boundaries and build supportive creative ecosystems — a reflection of the company’s belief in user creativity as a core asset. (Stuff)
6. Challenges, Culture & Personal Insights
Richter has often spoken about resilience in the face of uncertainty:
- Early in the company’s journey (2017), Insta360 faced stiff competition and financial strain. Instead of retrenching, they observed user behavior and shifted strategy — a move credited with turning the tide. (Forbes)
- He navigates a high‑travelling lifestyle with mindfulness — such as early morning workouts — to maintain focus and clarity amid global meetings and launches. (Stuff)
- Richter emphasizes doing what you love and confronting failure as learning opportunities — advice he extends to future entrepreneurs and creators. (Forbes)
7. External Recognition & Industry Influence
Under Richter’s marketing leadership, Insta360 has:
- Maintained strong global market presence, rivaling established brands through innovation and brand loyalty. (South China Morning Post)
- Built a reputation for community‑driven storytelling tools that empower creators across levels — from first‑time shooters to professional filmmakers. (Stuff)
- Positioned itself at the intersection of technology and culture, often participating in industry panels and discussions about photo/video convergence and AI in creative workflows. (LinkedIn)
8. Key Takeaways — What Makes Insta360’s Story Unique
| Aspect | Insight |
|---|---|
| User‑centric innovation | Products are shaped by observing how real people use technology. |
| Global ambition | Richter’s strategy prioritizes diverse markets and cultural resonance. |
| Brand community | Marketing ties deeply into creator communities and experiential spaces. |
| Partnerships | Collaborations (e.g., Leica) blend heritage and cutting‑edge tech. |
| Resilience & culture | Facing competition and setbacks with observation and adaptability. |
Here’s a *detailed, case‑study‑style look at Insta360 through the lens of insights, comments, and strategic moments shared by Co‑Founder and VP of Marketing Max Richter, showing how the company grew, how leadership views its mission, and what industry observers and partners say about its future trajectory.
Case Study 1 — From Shenzhen Startup to Global Imaging Brand
Background & Early Growth
Max Richter’s journey with Insta360 began when the company was very young and still defining its product identity. After working at DJI and helping expand its European business, Richter joined Insta360 attracted by the founder’s vision and openness to user feedback. Early products were far from perfect — one early camera was literally called “Beta” — but Richter saw potential in user behavior and creativity around 360 capture. (Forbes)
Strategic Pivot & Market Success
A key strategic moment came when the team observed users adopting Insta360 cameras for action and adventure scenarios like skiing and biking. This insight led to the development of FlowState stabilization and repositioning products around smooth, immersive capture experiences, which helped Insta360 eclipse competitors like Samsung and Ricoh in the 360 camera segment. (Forbes)
Comments from Richter:
“We observed users doing things we hadn’t originally designed for, and that changed everything. We shifted our focus from gimmicks to real use‑case performance.” (Forbes)
Impact:
This move illustrates how in‑market learning can transform product strategy — a valuable lesson for consumer tech brands aiming to grow globally.
Case Study 2 — Global Expansion & Brand Positioning
Strategic Focus on International Markets
Under Richter’s marketing leadership, more than 70 % of Insta360’s revenue now comes from overseas markets. This reflects a deliberate strategy to build a global brand identity, not just a China‑dominated product line. (Stuff)
In an interview tied to Insta360’s IPO on the Shanghai STAR Market, Richter emphasized international expansion — naming the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Korea as priority regions, and reinforcing both offline retail networks and online platforms like Amazon. (South China Morning Post)
Richter on Global Focus:
“We’re committed to expanding our global presence and elevating brand influence to boost our market share worldwide.” (South China Morning Post)
Strategic Takeaways:
- Prioritize region‑specific marketing campaigns.
- Combine online e‑commerce with experiential retail.
- Cultivate community ambassadors in core markets.
These are critical elements in scaling a hardware brand internationally.
Case Study 3 — Community‑Driven Innovation & Product Strategy
User‑Inspired Development
Richter consistently highlights the importance of user observation and community feedback in shaping product direction: he reportedly checks social posts daily to see how people use Insta360 gear, letting that insight guide both marketing and product decisions. (Forbes)
This community‑centric ethos has influenced new product strategies, from versatile action cameras to AI‑enhanced tools like the Insta360 Wave, a professional speakerphone that blurs lines between creative tools and productivity devices — designed with creator and workplace needs in mind. (TMCnet)
Richter on Product Meaning:
“Our products aren’t just hardware; they help people capture, understand, and share moments that matter.” (TMCnet)
Outcome:
Products like Wave or modular action cameras reflect a broader trend: technology should empower creators beyond niche tech spaces, making Insta360 part of daily life and professional workflows.
Case Study 4 — Partnerships & Ecosystem Growth
Collaborating with Legacy Brands
One of Insta360’s standout strategic moves has been creative partnerships, most notably with Leica. Richter played a role in developing this long‑term collaboration, which blends Leica’s optical heritage with Insta360’s computational and stabilization innovations. (Stuff)
Why It Matters:
- Brand Credibility: Associating with Leica helps Insta360 be seen as a serious player in imaging quality, not just novelty tech.
- Product Differentiation: The collaboration elevates product perception among photographers and prosumers.
- Community Impact: Co‑engineered products bring more sophisticated creative tools to content creators. (discoveryendual.com)
Richter’s Comment:
“Merging German engineering with our innovation felt like a full‑circle moment,” he reflected. (Stuff)
Industry Commentary & Peer Views
Market Recognition:
Industry observers note that Insta360’s growth is part of a larger shift in the imaging and creator tech sector — where powerful tools are democratized for broader audiences. Panel discussions featuring Richter at events like Visual 1st 2025 highlighted the convergence of photo and video technologies and the role of computational media in shaping creative workflows. (LinkedIn)
Brand Leadership Moves:
The hiring of seasoned marketers like Fiona Leung from Dyson to spearhead global brand strategy under Richter signals Insta360’s commitment to emotional consumer connection and differentiated branding, beyond just product specs. (Marketing-Interactive)
Key Strategic Takeaways for Marketers & Founders
| Focus Area | Lesson from Insta360 & Richter |
|---|---|
| User‑Driven Innovation | Listen to how users actually use products — it may redefine product strategy. (Forbes) |
| Global Brand Building | Localize strategy but maintain a unified brand voice internationally. (South China Morning Post) |
| Partnerships | Collaborations with legacy brands can elevate perception and expand audience reach. (PRONEWS) |
| Community Engagement | Creativity is a competitive edge — support and amplify what your community creates. (LinkedIn) |