Exploring Ray Ban Wayfarers Through Packard's Eight ”hidden Needs" Model

Mari Nicolosi

Media Culture and Society

Professor Parisi

October 10, 2015

Exploring Ray Ban Wayfarers through Packard's eight ”hidden needs" model

Ray Ban Wayfarer are best-selling, fashionable sunglasses that have introduced the idea of “cool” and redefined trends for nearly five generations. Over history, the brand has had different marketing campaigns that helped make the Wayfarers one of the most popular sunglasses ever. Today the sunglasses are synonymous with the idea of hipster and preppy, and the design is known as a timeless classic statement of ‘cool.’

Selling immortality:

        Ray Ban Wayfarers have been around for over 75 years, and have been worn by some of the most iconic celebrities to ever walk the earth, including: Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Audrey Hepburn, Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson, the Blues Brothers and the list can go on forever. Timelessly fashionable, the Wayfarers prove to be immortalized the idea of cool.  

Selling reassurance of worth:

        The starting price for Wayfarers is 150 Euro. The sunglasses give the owner an outlet of expression, where they can feel hipster and preppy at the same time. They price is a small amount to pay in confront to the “cool” they represent.

Selling ego-gratification:

         Ray Ban has become so popular that a majority of illegal street vendors will feature a low quality remake of the product.  Buying an original pair from a licenses seller, gratifies the ego, above the conventional 5-euro knockoff pair, as the sense of cool starts from the first time the customer puts on the original Wayfarers.

Selling emotional security:

        People are able to wear the wayfarers and hide their expressions behind the lenses. Personally, when I am not wearing much make-up and feel inept for public appearances, the comfort of the dark shade sunglasses makes me feel more secure and confident.  

Selling sense of power:

However, their most recent campaign is called “never hide.” Which feeds into the selling sense of power, where one believes he does not have to hide, but rather be able to express themselves through the shades, while still being reassured of hiding most facial expressions and looking fashionable.  

Selling creative outlets:

        The Ray Ban website allows the buyer to customize a pair of sunglasses that he or she personally created, including: the pattern of the frames, the materials used, the color and type of lenses, the color of the case, as well as engravings where the buyer can personalize by writing their name or a phrase on the temples.