NEW YORK: Luxottica, owner of the Ray-Ban sunglass brand, has selected UK-based agency Fish Can Sing to aid a global project for the Wayfarer line, multiple sources have said.
Luxottica neither confirmed nor denied the hire. Rogers & Cowan is Ray-Ban's US agency, but Cristina Parenti, group PR manager for Luxottica Group, said, via e-mail, "In other markets of the world we have other PR partner agencies working with us, as well as internal PR offices."
Next year will be Ray-Ban's 70th anniversary; it released its iconic Aviator sunglasses in 1937. The Wayfarer line debuted in the '50s and was relaunched in 2002. The Wayfarer was featured in a slew of '80s films and Don Henley's song "Boys of Summer."
Ray-Ban is listed as a client on Fish Can Sing's Web site. The firm, which has offices in London and New York, declined to comment. Two other firms reportedly pitched for the account.
The actual details of a forthcoming campaign are unknown, but objectives mentioned during the pitch process include "Reassert[ing] Ray-Ban as a global iconic brand" and supporting "Ray Ban's leadership in the category worldwide."
Ray-Ban was looking to create a central concept for local agencies, according to a source, for targets in the US, Italy, UK, France, Germany, and Japan.
Targeted audience members, per the source, are to include key consumer and lifestyle media and opinion formers, designers, stylists, celebrities, and major influencers.
