DANA POINT, Calif.—Four days of workshops, product experience, buying sessions, a Roaring ‘20s party and Oakley VIP Days Golf Classic comprised this year’s Oakley VIP Days here from Oct. 6 to 10 at the Laguna Hills Resort & Spa. The sessions brought together 40 Oakley sales reps and staff with 160 people from 67 accounts around the country.

“A few years ago, we identified a need to connect with our best accounts and the industry in a stronger way,” said Dawne Hanks, Oakley’s optical channel marketing manager. “Oakley VIP Days lets us invite accounts and trade media in for an informative, educational and cultural experience around the brand. The goal is to build stronger partnerships dedicated to mutual growth opportunities within the optical and sun specialty industry.

“We want to elevate our game with these retailers and learn directly from them how to support their business in productive ways. During the course of the event our guests had access to seminars on new product technologies, the power of marketing and merchandising at a door level, the value of creating an expert sales staff, the power of habit and more,” Hanks said.

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(L to R) Colin Baden, Oakley CEO, Dawne Hanks, Oakley channel marketing manager and Kyle Lan Franco, Oakley Rx category manager.

Oakley VIP Days combine product information and knowledge with social and networking educational sessions.

A 1920s Prohibition theme party brought out some creative costumes. (L to R) Jess Rodriguez, Sunglass Forum; David Goldberg, The Sunglass Shoppe; Mingo Lee, Oakley rep; Mike Rodriguez, Sunglass Forum; Laurie Goldberg, The Sunglass Shoppe; and Oakley reps Casey Crosby and Ty Stout.

(L to R) Michael “Hollywood” Gatti of Barnett Dulaney Perkins; Laura O’Neill, Nationwide Vision/US Vision; Aaron Lombard, Oakley rep; Teena Jones, Barnett Dulaney Perkins; and Dave Menegay, Oakley rep.

Ryan Saylor, Oakley senior R&D engineer.

(L to R) Yoel Heistein, Specs New York; JIllayne Krogel, Rx Optical Laboratories; and Tiffanie Sigal, Oakley rep, testing out the new Oakley Prizm Snow Lenses.

Declan Lonergan, Oakley category manager, discusses new product.

Spelling out ‘Oakley’ (l to r) David Goldberg, The Sunglass Shoppe; Tim Kennedy, Oakley rep; Sarah Herrera, Sun Stop; Terri Johanson, Oakley regional sales manager; Laurie Goldberg, The Sunglass Shoppe; Jordan Brown, Oakley marketing specialist; Mario Herrera, The Sun Stop; and Janice Grauberger, Cheyenne Vision Clinic.

(L to R) Rob Zinbar, Oakley rep, Marion Johnson and Dr. Josh Lucas, Eye Gallery with the Hoovercraft Oakley created for its golfer, Bubba Watson.

(L to R) Jim Flangan, Oakley regional sales manager; Rob Tavakoli and Erin Fallon, Sport Rx; and Brandon Williams, Oakley rep.