Sunglasses: It’s always better on holiday

Earlier this year, Tom Davies reminded readers about peer power when he relayed his Ray-Ban-filled holiday experiences. There is no more powerful push to purchase than seeing someone else and thinking to yourself: ‘I want to look like that.’ As Davies alluded, the sheer volume of the Luxottica flagship brand on holidaymakers’ faces makes every beach a showroom.

But what if your brand is not ubiquitous, what if customers are not familiar with your brand; how do you achieve that recognition? Sunglass supplier Maui Jim is well known for its high-quality technical lenses and frames; it decided early on in its life to build its brand through a string of high-profile sponsorships. Unsurprisingly, these started in sports close to the demographic habits of its traditional buyers, such as golf, equestrian activities and sailing. This has expanded into more mainstream sports such as tennis, football and Formula 1, which is finally breaking into the US market. These partnerships are backed by offering special products and event branding, while support staff and other stake holders are given the opportunity to wear the product so they can become advocates for the brand.