Sunglass brand Maui Jim launches first major ad campaign outside of US in bid to raise profile
Sunglasses brand Maui Jim has made its first above the line marketing assault outside of the US as it looks to raise its “disproportionally low” awareness in Australia with a local multi-million dollar advertising blitz.
The campaign kicks off this month with half the spend thrown at TV, 25 per cent on outdoor advertising and 15 pert cent on digital and social channels. A limited amount of print advertising will also feature.
It is aimed at high income 25-54 year olds, with the in-house creative hoping to illustrate what Maui Jim described as the “functional elegance” of its sunglasses.
The campaign was triggered after the Hawaii-based brand revealed its unprompted awareness in Australia was less than 10 per cent.
Nathan Fisher, Maui Jim director of marketing for Asia Pacific and Middle East, said the brand’s growth since entering Australia 15 years ago has largely relied on the Australian optical industry and the loyalty of existing consumers.
It was time for the brand to expand its reach to a wider market in a bid to drive sales, he said.
“We have educated the trade and have had tremendous support and now we want to educate consumers,” he said. “Maui Jim’s position in the marketplace has been built solely on below-the-line and grass roots activity so we feel it is the right time to evolve from a push to pull strategy and make a stronger play in Australia via a through-the-line campaign.”
In addition to the focus on “functional elegance”, Fisher said it was set on pushing the benefits of wearing polarised sunglasses, as well as the ability to get prescription sunglasses.
Creative behind the campaign was developed in-house by the firm’s US-based team, with the TVC set in Hawaii.
Vizeum is its above the line media agency in Australia with Isobar handling the digital buying strategy.
Fisher claimed that technology that sits behind Maui Jim sunglasses enhances colours and creates a sharper image, benefits that are best illustrated through TV commercials.
In addition to ads, the brand will sponsor Nine News weather and will partner with Getaway on Nine in a promotion that will see it hand out two tickets to Hawaii.
Fisher said the campaign, which runs until January, is the first what will be a series of advertising crusades in Australia.
He said he wants to initially raise brand recognition by 50 per cent to 100 per cent before embarking on more targeted marketing executions.
Steve Jones
I have to say….I often shoot photos through my Maui Jims as the colours pop in the sun (especially the Manly shoreline) and I don’t need to use filter apps. Makes my Insta feed look awesome! And at sunset, it creates a nice sepia-look with good contrast.
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