Ray-Ban 75thAnniversary Legends Advertisement (2012)
The selected print and broadcast advertisement is Ray-Ban Legends campaign in 2012 as the key communication campaign of the celebration of its 75thbirthday. It consists of seven themes, each of them represents an iconic moment of a decade from 1937 to 2012, from where four representatives (1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s) were chosen for reference in this assignment. Never Hide is the motto of Ray-Ban as well as the core brand image, which means Ray-Ban and its target audience, are people who never hide their true self from the world, brave to express who they are and what they think. The name Legends represents that Ray-Ban is the icon and leader in the past, present, and future. Through this AD campaign, several marketing decisions can be seen from the working backward.
The objective of Brand Communication
The main objective of this advertisement campaign is to increase brand awareness, targets at reinforcing the ability of consumers to recognize and recall the brand within the eyewear industry, and further deliver messages to the target audience. As an eyewear brand with strong recognition on iconic products, Aviator and Wayfarer, the best-selling sunglasses in the world, the individual product sometimes surplus the influence of brand itself, which may weaken the brand equity because of a huge number of followers are copying its products. As seen in the posters, the design of this communication is based on transformational appeals with a nonproduct-related benefit, puts more focus on what kind of person uses Ray-Ban (unconventional, the courage to be oneself and freely express one’s beliefs and personality), such to create resonance and stir up emotions that will motivate target audience.
Ray-Ban 75thAnniversary Legends Advertisement (2012)
Brand Positioning and Content Inspiring
Ray-Ban is an eyewear brand originated in America, initiated in 1937. Ray-Ban sunglasses were firstly served for US Air Force exclusively as the outfit of pilots, then went for public offering afterward. Throughout decades, Ray-Ban has been instrumental in forging the rise of celebrity culture and creating the power of the rock and movie stars to influence fashion. Ray-Ban has left an indelible mark on cultural history and was regarded as the symbol of America together with Harley and Zippo. Though laying on huge celebrity assets, Ray-Ban never owns any brand ambassador, and see itself as a brand with an iconoclastic and rebellious spirit.
Based on the historical background and development path, Ray-Ban puts itself in a position as leader and pioneer in both fashion industry and cultural development. The key messages of this brand, can be identified as unconventional, fearless and distinctive. These four images of the AD campaign smartly hit on every aspect Ray-Ban wants to deliver. The capture of movement demonstrates a specific moment in time that strongly implied the brand spirit. The figures unconsciously broke through barriers, that their eyes were opened while the world’s were closed.
The creative tools for these series of ads are basically colors and image structure: colors that go with the specific age, express certain kind of emotion, and metaphor and contrast inside the image. For each of the story, the picture focus on two things: how the figure acts in that specific age or situation, and the reaction of the others: 1) male couples walking on the street without hiding from the crowd while others all give sidelong glances, cold tone, the 1940s when homosexual group were demonized; 2) a man and a woman dancing the cha-cha in the middle of ballroom dancing, strong emotion influences indicates the comparison with tradition and pioneer, 1950s when the Hillbilly Cat was right on the stage, colored in black and white with highlight on the figures; 3) ladies in short skirt and sunglasses for an upper-class afternoon-tea party, while others wearing print blouses and long dresses, intense and bright colors; 4) a couple kissing in the middle of a protest, in a tone of peaceful and romantic blue color, while everyone is in angry fighting with each other. Even people could not read much background information from the ads, they can at least get impressed by the special topic angle and the obvious comparison from within.
Most people want to be different from others, distinctive and outstanding, never compromised by common customs. And wearing Ray-Ban brings satisfaction to these personal feelings. Though setting different time stages and situation, leveraging the designed creative tools, all images deliver one main information: Ray-Ban is always the legend leading times, honoring the values of authenticity and uniqueness. Anyone who wants to live in a free and unconventional life is the people who match to Ray-Ban’s brand equity.
Ray-Ban 75thAnniversary Legends Advertisement (2012)
Target Market and Consumer Behavior
The target market for Ray-Ban is broad, from men to women, children to elders. However, recent years it can be seen that Ray-Ban puts more and more focus on the market of younger age (should be 15-30), who are the generations in an information era and see personality as one of the most important characteristics. So, the cultural elements and fashion appeals become vital reasons when they choose sunglasses product, ahead of functions. The psychological appeals used here are emotional appeals. By using emotional appeals, including personal (self-esteem, pride, encouraged) and social (recognition, involvement), this advertisement aims to influence the way target consumers view themselves, convincing consumers that buying Ray-Ban can be proved to be beneficial for them (a label of cool and fashion, unique and unconventional). Because Ray-Ban owns an outstanding advantage on emotion influence and culture elements that rivals don’t have, choosing the entry point from these angles may win more with less. By providing powerful communication content, Ray-Ban wants to draw attention from the target audience who want to show uniqueness and attitude, change/show lifestyles, become cool and have strong favor and attachment to America culture.
The influence on consumers can be described as both the psychological process (motivation) and the first two steps in the buying-decision process (problem recognition and information research). According to Freud’s theory, psychological forces shaping people’s behavior are largely unconscious. The first thing this ads delivers is a pure impression on the images themselves, that are attractive, creative and fun. Then comes out the linkage between Ray-Ban and culture, attitude, and spirit. Finally, encourage people who find this ad cool and interested, go to find the stories/product/ information behind the stage. Sunglasses should be a product start from physiological needs, whereas Ray-Ban creates a path starting from psychological needs. The motivation could not only start from the needs of sunglasses and choose Ray-Ban for some reason but also buy Ray-Ban for the needs of self-satisfaction, trend-follower etc. This campaign put an attempt on changing the motivation of consumer purchase.
Another interesting factor in the series advertisement is that people will naturally eager to see the full collection, which brings the extra opportunity of footprints both in-store and online, as well as more information for consumers to do information research and gather information resources.
