INTRODUCTION
Ray-Ban is an American eyeglass brand established in 1937 under the company Bausch &
Lomb. Best known for the marketing of Aviator and wayfarer eyeglasses, the company was sold
to an Italian brand Luxottica Group in the year 1999. Along with hard-earned goodwill, the
valuation of the eyeglass company was estimated at 640 million dollars in the year 1999.
In 1929, US Army Air Corps Colonel John A. Macready worked with Bausch & Lomb, a
Rochester, New York-based medical equipment manufacturer, to create aviation sunglasses that
would reduce the distraction for pilots caused by the intense blue and white hues of the
sky. Specifically, MacCready was concerned about how pilots' goggles would fog up, greatly
reducing visibility at high altitude. The prototype, created in 1936 and known as "Anti-Glare",
had plastic frames and green lenses that could cut out the glare without obscuring vision. Impact-
resistant lenses were added in [Link] sunglasses were redesigned with a metal frame the
following year and patented as the Ray-Ban [Link] to the BBC, the glasses used
“Kalichrome lenses designed to sharpen details and minimise haze by filtering out blue light,
making them ideal for misty conditions.
Ray-Ban's most popular sunglasses are the Wayfarer and Aviator models. During the 1950s,
Ray-Ban released the Echelon (Caravan), which had a squarer frame. In 1965, the Olympian I
and II were introduced; they became popular when Peter Fonda wore them in the 1969 film Easy
Rider The company has also produced special edition lines, such as The General in 1987, bearing
similarity to the original aviators worn by General Douglas MacArthur during the Second World
War. In the 1980s the Ray-Ban Clubmaster was added to the model line. The Clubmaster has
a browline frame and went on to become the third best selling sunglasses style of the 1980s,
behind the Wayfarer and Aviator.
MARKETING STRATEGY OF RAY-BAN
The 4 P’s of Ray-Ban
Marketing decisions generally fall into the following four controllable categories:
Product
Price
Place (distribution)
Promotion
PRODUCT
The term “product” refers to tangible, physical products as well as services. Here are some
examples of the product decisions to be made:
Brand name
Functionality
Styling
Quality
Safety
Packaging
Repairs and Support
Warranty
Accessories and services
Ray-Ban have a eyewear [Link]-Ban become a good brand in eyewear industry. Ray-Ban
know what does the customer want from the product and what needs does it [Link]-Ban just
selling goggols but in many models. Ray-Ban giving guaranty on some goggols glasses for
screech. Ray-Ban produces a product which is stylish and different from others eyewear
companies like [Link]-Ban also selling its classics Goggols because Ray-Ban know that
customer like classical model to wear at present time where the fashion change day by day but
Ray-Ban producing their old models and selling. Ray-Ban selling their product at high price
because company giving some features like U V protection. And Ray-Ban Sunglasses never give
bad effect on eye side. So these type of product’s features helps to meet customers wants and
[Link] these type of features may be customer don’t want or actually use for example if we
talk about Ray-ban glasses the most of Customer when they wearing goggols they are driving car
or some time in party.
Price
Ray-Ban using skimming strategy for pricing .Because Ray-Ban company Build their image as a
good brand so company use it and skimming the market share .There is no price flexibility
company use same price strategy .In winter company give some discount.
Price Decisions
Some examples of pricing decisions to be made include:
Pricing strategy (skim, penetration, etc.)
Suggested retail price
Volume discounts and wholesale pricing
Cash and early payment discounts
Seasonal pricing
Bundling
Price flexibility
Price discrimination
PLACE
When we talk about place the first thing is where do buyers look for your product or service?
Ray-Ban sunglasses is a world wide [Link]-Ban selling sunglasses in Ray-Ban show rooms
and optical [Link]-Ban opened their showrooms in big cities and also selling in small
[Link]-Ban sell their product in super moles and shopping complex .Ray-Ban set a special
shop in moles and also use net to [Link] if somebody wants to purchase Ray-Ban sunglasses so
he have all type of option for [Link]-Ban’s product only for those consumer who have
high purchasing [Link] it is a product who shows your status in societies who want to use it
for feel proud he purchase it by giving a high [Link] is no neet of any type of sales force.
PROMOTION
What marketers must remember is that for any brand to be successful, the BRAND must control
the flow, content, and meaning of the message it conveys if it wants to increase market share and
all-important preference. The power of any good brand lies in its ability to connect with the
target audience on a highly-charged emotional level. This connection and meaning, however, can
only be molded and derived from the brand itself, NOT from individual consumers. Rather than
a single cohesive and comprehensive brand meaning, the brand would have as many meanings as
there are current and potential customers, a marketing model that is inefficient and prohibitively
expensive. Ray-Ban is not alone in jumping on the viral marketing bandwagon. While the
promise still exists to exploit this kind of marketing in a way that is truly brand-centric and can
unleash the true power of brand, marketers have yet to uncover the formula. For most brands,
viral marketing is a virus brands can still do without.
CONCLUSION
The brand started with an aim to serve the army personnel with the best quality of goggles to
help fly the air crafts at a higher altitude has indeed turned up a better result. The initiative taken
by John A. Macready and appreciated by Bausch & Lomb has gifted the world classic eyewear.
The journey that started with a good thought ended up being the best brand name in the global
eyewear industry.
Be it a classic set of goggles or a desired eyewear the brand has emerged over the year. Ray-Ban
is literally the eyewear paradise.