It’s the heart of winter and your lips are chapped, so you mosey on into the gas station to grab your favorite chapstick (Sun Bum).
When you’re checking out, you look to your right and see all the different choices of gum, Tic Tacs, and Ray-Bans.
Wait what? Ray-Bans?
Yes, Ray-Bans.
The year was 1999 and Ray-Ban was STRUGGLING.
Their factories were stuck in the 1950s and pumping out 100s of thousands of low quality sunglasses that found themselves on the shelves of gas stations.
It wasn’t uncommon to find a pair of the flimsy frames selling for under $30 at your local Exxon.
But, just when you thought the sun was setting on Ray-Ban, eyewear conglomerate Luxottica came knocking and bought them for $640M.
And there was an obvious problem to solve… Ray-Bans were being sold next to Little Debbie’s Swiss Rolls.
That’s partially a joke, but you get my point.
Ray-Ban needed a rebrand. Badly.
So what did Luxottica do? They ripped all Ray-Bans off the shelves for a FRESH new start.
What ensued was one of the most LEGENDARY marketing campaigns of this century.
A campaign so effective that a product worn by the masses became a symbol of individuality.
Students, welcome Ray-Ban’s “Never Hide” campaign.
*Loud applause*
From the creatives at TBWA/CHIAT/DAY, Ray-Ban’s focus was on amplifying the message that “the most fashionable thing to be is yourself.”
The ads featured people like you and I doing all of the things we dream about doing.
Performing in front of a huge crowd, running in the rain, and kissing someone amidst chaos.
The campaign alluded to a subtle confidence wearers of Ray-Bans have.
Ray-Ban was building an identity for their consumers in real time.
They were selling the idea that if you bought Ray-Bans, you too could have the confidence to be bold.
Ray-Bans were your pass to belong in every social situation, something consumers ALWAYS crave.
Put your shades on. Try new things. Never hide.
To put the mantra of “Never Hide” in full effect, Ray-Ban hired photographers to roam the streets of New York City and take photos of New Yorkers.
Of course the New Yorkers were wearing Ray-Bans.
The photos were then uploaded to 12 screens in the middle of Times Square.
This gave consumers the chance to directly participate in the campaign.
AND perpetuated the theme of authenticity Ray-Ban was striving for.
Instead of paying actors to play a part, Ray-Bans leaned on the human aspect of their brand, by putting the spotlight on the most important piece of the puzzle… people.
A campaign that shined so bright, it altered the entire course of Ray-Ban’s business.
In the 7 years following the “Never Hide” campaign, sales of Ray-Bans increased by 5x.
In 2000, Ray-Ban accounted for only 10% of Luxottica’s total sales.
By the end of the “Never Hide” campaign, Ray-Ban accounted for nearly 30% of Luxottica’s global sales and controlled 5% of the global eyewear market.
Making it the largest sunglasses brand in the WORLD.right sales increased 5x in 7 years
