Loyalty: Stating My Case for Oakley(R)
Loyalty is always a two-way street. It breeds itself; generally, the more loyalty you put into a relationship, the more you get out of it. This is the best way I can describe my supply/demand, product/consumer relationship with one of the few brands in this world that I am (and most likely will be for the foreseeable future) loyal to: Oakley sunglasses.
I’ve worn Oakley’s since I was 13 years old; that’s over half my life. I can go down the list of every pair that I’ve owned: I started out with Minutes, and since have had Straight Jackets, Twentys, Unknown, Canteens, Gascans, and most recently, the discontinued Jury. I bought the Jury’s as fast as I could when I found out they had been discontinued because a plastic piece on them had been found to be breaking. This concept was so foreign to me – a pair of Oakley’s breaking – and they fit my face so much better than any model before them, that I had to have them. I’ve never broken a pair of Oakley sunglasses; only lost. Historically, I’ve only had one pair at a time; I ride them out until I no longer can, then I replace them with a new model. I made an exception this time to pick up one of the last pair of Jury’s out there. I could do worse than to have my Gascans be my backups (the Bob Burnquist recycled series with the Bamboo icon). I estimate that in my lifetime I have given the same sunglasses company around $850 of my hard-earned money. I can spot Gascans from a mile away, and sometimes I know which model other people have even more than they do. Why do you think that is?
Oakley is a sports performance sunglasses (and other products such as goggles, clothing, bags, accessories, and footwear) company. As is the case with the sports they cultivate, they are successful because of their commitment to excellence. From their lenses to their website, the brand oozes with innovation wrapped in creativity. Looking through one of their polarized lenses is like putting on glasses retrofitted with Photoshop’s auto-levels and brightness/contrast filters. As a student of the internet for the last 10 years, the lens slider on the Oakley website (complete with different outdoor scenarios and filters for every lens they offer) is to this day one of the most genius features on a site that I can think of. I have not had to deal with Oakley’s customer service very often, but the few times I have, I can safely say that the experience was nothing short of outstanding. I have never not gotten exactly what I wanted. And that’s exactly what they want.
Oakley doesn’t need my help; the definitive name in sport and performance sunglasses does pretty well for itself. Their sales have shown that, consistently rising by double digits. The company that pioneered the old-school volleyball shades hasn’t stopped evolving since its inception in 1975. When Shaun White throws a perfect run in the X-Games or the Winter Olympics, Oakley is there. When the Chilean miners who were trapped for months underground were finally exhumed from beneath the Earth’s surface, Oakley was (smartly) there. But maybe most importantly, when I’m standing on the tee box and everyone loses someone’s “less-than-perfect” drive to sunlight but me, Oakley is there. They wonder how I was able to see it, and I wonder how they still shop for sunglasses at the 3 for $25 rack.
I consider myself a somewhat intelligent person, which is why I was pretty disappointed in myself when (somehow, despite all my infinite wisdom) I realized that I had never thought to apply for a job with one of the few companies out there that I have the utmost respect for. A couple hours and several job descriptions later, I mentally prepared myself to realistically up-and-move to the Foothill Ranch, California area, which is where the Oakley headquarters is. The opportunity would fall into the “once in a lifetime” category; getting to be a part of such excellence, such consistency, such success. It’s hard to balance on the line that blurs optimism with getting your hopes up, but when trying to fulfill a dream, nothing is worse than a negative outlook. The way I see it, I’ve got two very key ingredients the company might find useful, if not intriguing: I’m a loyal customer, and have above-average communication skills (I say this trying to be humble and proud, not over-confident). Translation: I’m aware I’m a loyal customer to Oakley, know why I became one, and can successfully articulate it. Hopefully my work experience with three high-profile companies can fill in the rest.
Is that enough for a foot in the door? I don’t know. I do know that one thing is certain: reply, or no reply, job or no job, I will still be rocking the same brand that has been there from the beginning. Some of my best memories, some of the most memorable images engraved in my brain, have come from behind Oakley lenses. Maybe this post will allow the people who help people see, see. They didn’t invent the big picture; they just help you see it clearer.
