How Sunglasses Became the Ultimate Branding Weapon (and Not Just for Celebs)
There’s a photograph from the 90s that I still think about. It's of a French cigarette brand’s marketing director wearing black Persols and a crisp white shirt on a gondola in Venice. No branding on him, just vibe. But in that image, he's sold you the entire brand. Not the product, the brand. And sunglasses were key.
Sunglasses, I’ve learned, are the stealth bomber of brand identity. They're not just accessories anymore. They’re semiotic weapons used to signal affiliation, aspiration, and sometimes, attitude-by-association. Think about it. When Ray-Ban sponsored music festivals in the early 2010s, they didn’t just sell product. They culturally embedded themselves into indie credibility and sweaty, sun-drenched selfies everywhere. You saw those frames, you felt a whole mood.
New Zealand brands have been slower on the uptake. But there’s something brewing. Local outdoor labels are starting to grasp it. It’s not just about UV protection or eco-frames anymore, it’s about visual shorthand. That’s how a pair of Wellington-designed sunglasses ends up in an overseas fashion shoot and suddenly everyone wants to know what 'brand’ they are. Not for the specs, but for the vibe.
So here’s the memo: sunglasses are underrated brand real estate. Toss your logo placement strategy in the bin and start thinking about what your product wears, not just sells. The brands that understand they’re drafting style, not pushing merch, are already ahead. The rest are squinting into the sun, wondering why nobody’s buying into their story.
Sunglasses, I’ve learned, are the stealth bomber of brand identity. They're not just accessories anymore. They’re semiotic weapons used to signal affiliation, aspiration, and sometimes, attitude-by-association. Think about it. When Ray-Ban sponsored music festivals in the early 2010s, they didn’t just sell product. They culturally embedded themselves into indie credibility and sweaty, sun-drenched selfies everywhere. You saw those frames, you felt a whole mood.
New Zealand brands have been slower on the uptake. But there’s something brewing. Local outdoor labels are starting to grasp it. It’s not just about UV protection or eco-frames anymore, it’s about visual shorthand. That’s how a pair of Wellington-designed sunglasses ends up in an overseas fashion shoot and suddenly everyone wants to know what 'brand’ they are. Not for the specs, but for the vibe.
So here’s the memo: sunglasses are underrated brand real estate. Toss your logo placement strategy in the bin and start thinking about what your product wears, not just sells. The brands that understand they’re drafting style, not pushing merch, are already ahead. The rest are squinting into the sun, wondering why nobody’s buying into their story.