I bought my first pair of branded sunglasses. Well, that’s
not entirely true. I’ve been the proud owner of a pair of Nike sunglasses for
two years. I bought them on sale for € 25 in one of those outlet shopping
centres in Italy. Last week, after the wrinkle cream saga, I decided it was
time for me to work on a more “grown-up” look, so I went out and bought myself
the sunglasses I’ve always wanted, the iconic
Ray-Ban Aviators.
Why did I just call them iconic?
What exactly makes a product iconic? The company’s branding strategy? The
quantities sold worldwide? Celebrities flaunting it? In my humble opinion, a
product becomes iconic thanks to its unique design, a good
advertising campaign resulting in spectacular sales figures and… patience. My
sunglasses were designed more than seventy years ago. They’ve stood the test of
time. The design and quality have been perfected. They were worn in popular
films such as Top Gun, they’ve surfaced on the covers of magazines, they’ve
been launched in several shades and redesigned to meet the demands of various
trends. And let’s face it, they’re damn sexy!
Owning an iconic product gives you a feeling of belonging to
an exclusive group of discerning consumers that just keeps growing, generation
after generation. Or is it just an illusion, a way to justify the fact that you’ve
just spent a ridiculous amount of money on something so meaningless? Yes, that’s
probably it!
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