How the Eyewear Industry is Maximizing Omnichannel Marketing
Ensuring seamless and integrated buying experiences is crucial in establishing a consistent connection between brands and consumers.
Data from Salesforce shows that 52% of customers expect business offers to be personalized, while 66% expect companies to be aware of consumer needs. Adopting omnichannel marketing strategies is one way to help companies increase their conversions, as omnichannel campaigns have a 90% higher customer retention rate than single-channel campaigns. Omnichannel marketing provides integrated and personalized customer experiences across multiple touchpoints, from brick-and-mortar stores and online e-commerce sites to live events and media advertisements.
By integrating online and offline channels, omnichannel marketing enables brands to create a consistent identity and consumer experience on any platform. This strategy has spread across various sectors like gaming and retail. In particular, the eyewear industry, a fast-growing market player that has a projected compound annual growth rate of 8.3% from 2024 to 2030, is among the industries leveraging omnichannel marketing. Much of the industry’s growth is attributed to the increasing number of online platforms and emerging technologies that help deliver effective omnichannel strategies to expand wider customer bases.
Here’s a closer look at how the eyewear industry is maximizing omnichannel marketing:
Sunglass Hut
Eyewear retailer Sunglass Hut leverages augmented reality (AR) technology to power its virtual try-on feature, which enriches the omnichannel experience on its website by letting customers digitally fit frames that suit their personal style before purchasing. Its e-commerce platform can also suggest glasses frames for face shape using a face scan technology that analyzes facial features before giving online shoppers a tailor-made selection of specs. This tool can help buyers find frames that can complement various face shapes and sizes and balance different eyes, hair, and skin colors. These personalized experiences can help foster higher engagement and sales, as well as boost customer satisfaction while lowering product returns.
This year, Sunglass Hut also introduced its omnichannel loyalty program, The Sun Club, which enables in-store and online shoppers to earn rewards or points for every purchase. Customers availing of the loyalty program can earn exclusive benefits, such as birthday and anniversary promos, exclusive product launches and sales, and branded gifts, all of which help to elevate the shopping experience. The retailer has also collaborated with avatar platform Ready Player Me to launch digital sunglasses that gamers can use to accessorize their gaming avatars. Tapping into new technology and launching engaging features both online and offline have helped the brand reach more diverse audiences.
LensCrafters
LensCrafters, one of North America’s biggest optical retail brands, is also no stranger to omnichannel marketing strategies. Earlier this year, the eyewear retailer, in collaboration with actress Sharon Stone, launched an omnichannel campaign called Your Eyes First. The 360-degree campaign aims to promote LensCrafters’ products and services, including its innovations in sun lens technology and state-of-the-art eye exams, through various touch points – from its physical stores and online website to the company’s marketing channels. This marketing campaign strategy can help deliver consistent messaging about the brand’s commitment to providing high-quality eye care throughout multiple platforms.
LensCrafters also taps into other industries, including gaming, to expand its customer base and promote its eye care services. Last April, the eyewear retailer released LensCrafters Eye Odyssey: A World of Optics on Roblox, which features immersive gaming experiences that help raise vision health awareness. The second installment of the Eye Odyssey series takes gamers on an interactive journey with a character named Blinky as they overcome challenges due to prolonged screen exposure. Within the game, players are occasionally reminded to schedule an annual eye exam and take breaks to practice eye-healthy habits based on LensCrafters’ vision health guidance.
Ray-Ban
Luxury eyewear brand Ray-Ban also leverages strategies that help enhance its omnichannel marketing to its advantage. Just this month, Ray-Ban launched a new commercial collaborating with musicians Anderson .Paak, Tinashe, and James Blake to promote the features of the new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Aside from a commercial, the campaign also launched social media content featuring the three stars, including an unboxing video with Anderson .Paak and a photo shoot of Tinashe and Blake showcasing the frames. Partnering with influential personalities to launch premium ads allows Ray-Ban to connect with more customers across various channels and platforms online and offline.
Ray-Ban’s Instagram shop and e-commerce website also provide customers with enhanced and personalized shopping experiences by incorporating the AR-powered virtual try-on feature. Its website also has a customization tool that lets online buyers design their Ray-Ban sunnies or smart glasses by picking and combining various lens types, frame colors, and styles. It also boosted its global physical presence by partnering with Duty Free Americas (DFA) to create a stand-alone sunglasses boutique at Punta Cana International Airport in the Dominican Republic, the first stand-alone space for sunglasses operated by the DFA.
Utilizing an omnichannel approach in marketing allows brands to deliver consistent and effective messaging and enhance shopping experiences. These eyewear retailers prove that by integrating various online and offline channels — from physical stores and online retailers to other forms of media — customers can enjoy meaningful interactions with brands that help generate engagement and growth.
