the ray ban story: shades of success
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An interview by Maarten Schäfer and Anouk pappers with Patricia Wiegman and Jochem Eijmers. [Published in CoolBrands, the Guru Book 2009] - [copyright: cool4ever]TRANSCRIPT
Ray-Ban. Tom Cruise and Will Smith built their careers on the
brand. The Blues Brothers wouldn’t be the same without their
Wayfarers. Sonny Crockett? Same deal. Even Barack Obama is
known to always carry a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses. Want to
hear a funny thing? Ray-Ban isn’t the American icon you thought
it was. Not anymore. Because in 1999 Bausch & Lomb sold the
brand for a reported 600 million dollars to Luxottica, an Italian
eyewear company based in Milan. And another thing: it’s done
the brand a world of good. Jochem Eijmers and Patricia Wiegman
of Luxottica Nederland tell us all about icons, love and the power
of less is more.
ShAdES Of SuCCESS
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“The only thing the competition can do, is help us grow even bigger”
Eternal lifeRay-Ban’s fame was built by its two most famous models, the elegant Aviator
and the sturdy, thick-rimmed Wayfarer. Back in the days of old, the Aviator
was the go-to model for pilots, drivers and moviestars that needed protec-
tion from the glare of the outside world. Not only because they looked cool
as hell, but because they really kept the light out.
One problem a successful brand will encounter at one time or another is
that younger generations will start associating it with their parents or, even
worse, their grandparents. And that’s mostly a bad thing, as the future thrives
on leaving the past behind where it belongs, stuck in the rut of being old and
mouldy. Ray-Ban is no stranger to this problem, being genuine since 1937
and all. But how did Luxottica deal with the feared oldtimer syndrome and
come out even stronger for it?
The Italian jobLuxottica’s founder, Leonardo Del Vecchio, made a conscious choice not
to communicate the fact that Ray-Bans are now made in Northern Italy.
Watering down the brand’s strong American image would have rendered no
added value at all. When he bought Ray-Ban Del Vecchio decided to keep
silent for a while, and stopped all communication to think about what to do
with the brand. After the move to Italy was complete, Luxottica repositioned
and rebranded Ray-Ban to step back into the sun again. New and improved,
but as trustworthy as ever.
Del Vecchio changed one important thing about its new brand: distribu-
tion. Jochem: “Ray-Bans are no longer available everywhere in the Nether-
lands, but are only sold at opticians and De Bijenkorf. Simply because these
retailers know their business when it comes to glasses.” And the public
agrees, as sales are up ever since Ray-Ban disappeared from the dusty aisles
of gas stations and department stores.
Per i ragazzi e le ragazzeThe arrival of the new brand came with a history of full-on, all-American
marketing; a concept that the quality-minded Italians couldn’t quite grasp
at first. With the brand, it took Bausch & Lomb’s head of marketing back
home to smooth over the transition. Once inspired, the company moved to
swanky offices in Milan, the hip and happening city where all the cool brands
- including Luxottica’s licensed brands - set up shop. Ray-Ban has kept its own
marketing department, setting the course to keep the brand in the public
eye.
It still focuses on authenticity with the slogan ‘Genuine since 1937’, and
stears it mainstream instead of adding other attributes Luxottica could
easily boast. Leaning on the image of the Italian classic suit with sunglasses
or shouting from the rooftops that all glasses are handmade would only
dilute the message and alienate part of the audience. The brand’s strong
point is its large, broad target group that structurally guarantees sales
and growth. The secret to sweeping a field of that magnitude is simple: it’s
all about the people behind the glasses. While the product remained the
same, Ray-Ban started using models in the early-twenties range instead of
35-40-year olds. And presto! The desired demo of young cool people with
a considerable budget and the will to accessorize went with Ray-Ban. With
the same loyal enthusiasm their brand-ambassador parents still do.
Who needs a crystal ball anyway?For Ray-Ban quality reigns supreme over fleeting fads, exactly the reason why
the brand doesn’t aspire to be a trendsetter. It leaves the future-gazing to the
fashion houses, that in the last five years elevated the status of sunglasses
from functional to must-have accessory. To great acclaim from the public, by
the way. Because where fashionable fragrances and make-up go unseen, a
pair of name brand glasses is a reasonably affordable way to show the world
your excellent taste in brands. The eyewear industry is all applause as well;
people now will buy up to two pairs of glasses a year, as opposed to making
them last for several seasons.
Ray-Ban will follow a trend where it leads, but stays close to the source. And
ensure that the scene knows that the genuine source has been Ray-Ban since
1937, by nurturing its icon models through strategically planned campaigns
that help jump-start yet another Aviator or Wayfarer trend. Worldwide a
hype can last about five years max, but in the Netherlands trends have a lot
less staying power – three years is now the average lifespan. Ray-Ban isn’t
worried though. The brand has seven icon models at its disposal, to rotate
forever and ever. Just so you know: the Clubmaster is next.
Let the sun shine inExpanding its range to normal glasses – correction frames, as they’re called
in the industry – is another direction Ray-Ban is exploring right now. It never
really considered this market, as Ray-Ban made its business by banning rays,
not letting them in. But when research showed that the public was already
convinced that the brand had had correction frames in its catalogue for a
long time, Ray-Ban only needed to follow suit. And there you go.
Although the brand is very happy to have reached its target of getting its
premium-quality basic glasses to the end consumer, it refuses to kick back
and relax. Its print, TV and outdoor campaigns are unrivalled by the rest of
the industry and will have a long-term character, lasting about three years
to fully exploit their possibilities. But Ray-Ban can afford to be somewhat
whimsical about its promotions too, and chooses to let the public share in
the joys of having such a strong image. With special Ray-Ban Days at retailers
and other events it will continue loading the brand with genuine love. And
if you thought that the Americans know what loving is, you haven’t met the
Italians. Bellissima!
Roots & story of the brandLeonardo Del Vecchio started Luxottica from his own home, slowly expan-
ding until about 90 percent of his hometown Agordo, a few clicks north of
Venice, worked in his factory. Del Vecchio abhorred the American 24-hour
economy, and put family first always. That’s why he insisted that workers in
the same families were dealt the same shifts to give them a chance to eat
dinner together. In Italy it’s still that way. It hasn’t influenced Luxottica’s
success in the least. Currently the company has nine factories; two are in
China, seven in Italy. Luxottica produces eyewear for all brands it carries,
like Oakley, Persol and Arnette, to name a few. Apart from its own brands,
it’s also licensed to sell designer glasses with names like Prada, Chanel,
Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY and Polo Ralph Lauren.
In the Netherlands Luxottica has eighteen brands, of which Ray-Ban is the
biggest by far. Luxottica’s glasses are all made to order, by hand. The company
doesn’t have downweighing supplies but produces about 150 pairs of one
model and sees where it takes off from there. That doesn’t make Ray-Ban
glasses expensive; on the contrary. As far as affordable quality eyewear goes,
Ray-Ban is one of your best bets on the market.
CEO Andrea Guerra | Number of employees 55,000 | Company revenues
€6b | Brand promise Never Hide | Brand values Genuine and timeless | Main
target group 25-50-year olds; 70% men, 30% women | Primary advertising
media Integrated campaign; TV, print, outdoor and online
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