Although known best for its sunglasses, Oakley has also expanded into footwear, watches, apparel, and accessories. Key aspects of the company's success include celebrity endorsements, especially by athletes, together with high-tech designs that include interchangeable lenses, high optical clarity, and damage resistance, and selective distribution through high-end retailers and specialty stores, including the Oakley-owned O Stores, Oakley Vaults, Sunglass Designs, Sporting Eyes, and Occhiali da Sole.
These elements of Oakley's brand-building strategy work together to increase the perceived value of the company's products. Its products are not available from mass-market retailers, and Oakley vigorously litigates any unauthorized distribution of its products as well as patent infringements to keep competitors out of its lucrative business.
Oakley was founded by Jim Jannard in when he began selling handgrips for motocross motorcycles from the back of his car. Something of a motorcycle enthusiast, Jannard attended the University of Southern California in The long-haired student dropped out, reportedly because the Irish setter he brought to class irritated his professors.
He spent about a year driving around the Southwest on his motorcycle. When he returned to Los Angeles, he traded in his motorcycle for a small Honda and began selling motorcycle parts out of his trunk to shops that serviced motorcycles. In he designed a rubber grip for off-road motorcycles and began selling it along with the motorcycle parts.
That was the beginning of Oakley, a company he named after one of his dogs. Jannard was in his mids when he began Oakley. Toward the end of the decade he began selling motocross goggles. Featuring his own designs, the goggles were made of high-impact plastic that was lighter and stronger than the glass goggles then in use. With the help of some young salespeople, Jannard began handing them out at motocross competitions and selling them through Oakley's motorcycle parts accounts. When the motorcycle goggles became a hot item, Jannard began developing eyewear that was part goggles and part sunglasses for skiers and bicyclists.
In Oakley began selling ski goggles. Next year the company moved into the sunglasses market. Cyclist Greg Le Mond wore Oakley sunglasses in on his way to winning the Tour de France, becoming the first of many star athletes to be associated with marketing Oakley sunglasses. Jannard was encouraged to develop new sunglass models.
One was the company's trademark Blades model, which featured interchangeable wraparound lenses that slipped into a simple carbon-fibre frame. To market his new sunglasses, Jannard and his salespeople handed out many pairs to top athletes in the late s and early s.
At one golf tournament, they gave a pair to basketball star and golfer Michael Jordan, who became a regular wearer of Oakley sunglasses. A key element of Oakley's distinctive marketing approach has been the use of influential athletes.
Relying primarily on the "editorial" endorsement of influential athletes, Oakley was able to increase consumer awareness of the company's product performance and overall brand image.
Oakley believed serious athletes were quick to recognize the superior technology and performance of its products. Many of Oakley's endorsements were obtained at little or no cost. Michael Jordan, who first wore Oakley sunglasses while playing golf, then while playing baseball for the Birmingham Barons, negotiated a stock package with Jannard when Oakley went public in that included a position on the company's board of directors.
The use of influential athletes to endorse its products helped make Oakley the acknowledged leader in the sports sunglasses market. Its high-performance sunglasses and goggles were worn by professional baseball and basketball players, skaters, skiers, cyclists, golfers, tennis players, and others. In the early s Oakley's products were becoming popular in the nonsports fashion segment of the market.
By the end of , the company made eight lines of sunglasses and three lines of goggles, accounting for a 13 percent market share of the U. Its products were distributed in more than 60 countries.
Throughout its history Oakley has been selective about introducing new products. Agassi wore Oakley's Eye Jackets brand, which were introduced in December The M-Frame, a high-impact line that featured superhard polycarbonate lenses, could withstand a blast from a gauge shotgun at 15 yards, or the force of a one-pound pointed weight dropped from a height of four feet.
Trenchcoats, a line of camouflage eyewear, were introduced in October , followed by Straight Jackets in May Ignacio Penacho Explainer. Does Nike Own Under Armor? Under armour is not owned by Nike. Under Armour , Inc. Adair Kerws Explainer. Did Nike buy Jordan? Air Jordan is a subsidiary of Nike. It isa brand of basketball footwear and athletic clothing and createdfor Chicago Bulls basketball player Michael Jordan.
Theoriginal Air Jordan I sneaker, produced for Jordan in, were released to the public in Zhour Schrift Pundit. Who owns Nike now? Zulaica Foncillas Pundit. What brands does Nike own? Kinda Badstober Pundit. At the time, handlebar grips were essentially just rubber sleeves. Jannard imagined something better. So he created the Oakley Grip , which was anatomically shaped and tactile with tentacle-inspired suction cups.
Takumi was close with many riders sponsored by Oakley, and after he eventually joined the company, he worked closely with Jannard for over a decade. The merger resolves lingering concerns over a leadership succession plan at Luxottica.
Del Vecchio, who is 81, founded the company in and has been chairman ever since. But the role of chief executive has been a revolving door. Show Caption. More in News.
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