Another brand I've really noticed again lately is Oakley. As a marketer, the brands I respect are those that combine outstanding outbound communications with products that fit the brand and deliver on the brand promise. Oakley certainly fits that bill. Unlike Simms, which I've blogged on before, Oakley has managed to cover an amazing spectrum of markets - from golf and fishing to snowboarding and motocross.
Last week I was in Chicago and visited NikeTown -- always an interesting branding stop (though I never seem to BUY anything, hmmmm.....). Nike now has this 6.0 push to get into bmx, surfing, skateboarding and such. Oakley's home base. Whereas this always looks natural for Oakley, the Nike product and marketing just looked forced.
From a company that started making bmx bike handgrips (seen the price or original Oakley grips on eBay lately? Wow.) they've expanded to become a leader in sunglasses, watches, and a vast array of other gear. And they're products seem to always deliver some special "surprise and delight" feature. Even their t-shirts just seem to fit a little better and be a little more rugged. Said mountain bike shorts seem to have all the details right -- great fit, pockets in just the right place, extra ventilation strategically placed.
Kudos to Oakley for an exceptional brand and products that reinforce it.
-Sean-
30 June, 2009
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2 comments:
Sean - another brand that I'm watching with interest is Under Armor; they more or less "own" the technical fabric / workout/ warmup shirt market and especially the youth market; in my humble view of the world - seem to be surpassing Nike in that regard. They've gone after the footwear market in a big way; and are getting a solid market response for cleats...although how successful they'll be in running shoes is a little less certain.
Brian Carter
Definitely a solid brand and great example of expanding their footprint, but staying true to their values. They're now in solidly with hunters and fishermen, too.
-Sean-
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