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Polaroid’s travel retail team (pictured from top): Chris Knight, Rebecca Harwood Lincoln and Jerry Dreifuss |
UK/SWITZERLAND. Polaroid Eyewear, a division of the US-based StyleMark Group, has established a new travel retail team to build sales and distribution in a market offering “massive untapped potential”.
Following a successful 2009, in which the Polaroid brand’s global travel retail sales increased considerably, the company has decided to focus on the channel with a dedicated team.
“It suddenly struck us that we were really doing pretty well in travel retail without any specific modus operandi,” explained International Markets Sales and Travel Retail Director Chris Knight.
“The brand has always been very strong in Amsterdam Schiphol airport, all major Nordic airports and Switzerland, but in the past years distribution has significantly spread well across Europe and also includes Dubai, major Russian airports and France.”
He continued: “Polaroid Eyewear is set to become a serious player in the travel retail sunglasses sector. It’s a sector that is growing significantly faster than the overall travel retail market. We have high – but realistic – expectations for 2010 and are extremely excited about the opportunities ahead in a market segment that is rapidly becoming a key and increasingly significant element of the product offer in travel retail.”
The Polaroid brand has already proved popular with airlines and cruise ships/ferries, including Qantas, South African Airways, TAP-Air Portugal, Stena Line and P&O Ferries, and success has been particularly notable in the UK. Travel retail net sales value through UK outlets last year was £500,000, with the 2010 figure forecast to rise as high as £1.5 million.
According to Rebecca Harwood Lincoln, UK Country Manager and Travel Retail Manager, the brand is now selling in 31 WDF locations versus 13 in 2008.
Polaroid is co-ordinating its travel retail communications out of the UK and Switzerland, where it has its EMEA head office. The company promises a “much higher” level of centralised focus on key accounts and the requirements of the channel as a whole, although execution will remain on a local level to ensure a personalised service and maximum relevance at point of sale.
Tackling a competitive market
Acknowledging the competitive nature of the travel retail market, Jerry Dreifuss, Global Marketing Manager based in the Zurich headquarters, is keen to emphasise the brand’s USPs.
“The key reasons for our recent growth and success in this sector appear to include the international nature of the brand, the mid-price positioning, and the fact that all our styles feature original Polaroid polarising lenses, even at the highly fashionable end of the styling spectrum,” he stated.
“We also have a broad range of product that allows operators to cover all the segments in the mid-tier price range with a brand name that international travellers recognise and trust. The combination of quality and price is the perfect mix for an impulse purchase.”
Alongside the Polaroid brand, the company offers licensed Disney and Hello Kitty ranges. Enthused Harwood Lincoln: “All our current retailers have increased their existing Polaroid collections and are taking on newer collections, such as our licensed Disney and Hello Kitty ranges.”
Well-known brand heritage
Research in the UK and Ireland conducted by Polaroid last year showed that customers like Polaroid sunglasses because they are perceived as good value for money, offer a great fit, fashionable styles, quality polarised lenses and total UV protection.
“For travel retail, especially in an uncertain trading environment, we believe the brand is perfectly placed, combining well-known brand heritage with fabulous classic and modern styling with designs for children, teenagers, women and men,” said Harwood Lincoln. UK retail prices range from £49.99 to £79.99.
For retailers, Polaroid Eyewear offers a choice of branded merchandisers that hold between 10 and 100 units. All sunglasses come with a free case and cleaning cloth, and swing tags can be customised.
As part of the new strategy, Polaroid Eyewear has appointed Essential Communications as its dedicated travel retail PR consultancy.
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Polaroid sunglasses feature polarising lenses, even at the highly fashionable end of the styling spectrum | |
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Polaroid Eyewear offers retailers a choice of branded merchandisers that hold between 10 and 100 units | |
About Polaroid Eyewear
Polaroid Eyewear is a division of StyleMark, the world’s largest mid-tier sunglass company. It serves 80,000 retailers in 67 countries and sells 50 million pairs of sunglasses annually. Polaroid is the pioneer of polarised lens technology, and all lenses are made in Scotland.
For details, contact Chris Knight, tel: +44 1462 743780 or e-mail Chris.knight@polaroideyewear.com, Rebecca Harwood Lincoln: tel: +44 141 416 0787 or e-mail rebecca.harwoodlincoln@polaroideyewear.com Visit www.polaroideyewear.com
