Vision Eyewear Injects Fun Into Banana Boat Sunglasses Display

Who ever said sunglass displays should be dull? Banana Boat displays from Vision Eyewear certainly aren't."Displays in the sunglass business traditionally have been very boring," says Mark Emerson, vice president, marketing and sales planning, Vision Eyewear International Inc., Pico Rivera, Calif. "Our idea was to go out and create a lot of appeal. The colored plastic, the grass skirting and the action graphics in the displays are making a difference. We're selling sunglasses like crazy."Banana Boat sunglasses and displays are new to the market. Vision Eyewear International recently licensed the Banana Boatname from Sun Pharmaceuticals to take advantage of the brand's high level of awareness among a youthful clientele, especially women aged 17 to 45. Banana Boat products, according to Emerson, rank second in the suncare business --with 96 percent penetration among mass merchants, supermarkets and drug chains. A joint venture between Banana Boat and Vision Eyewear seemed only natural.Tie-ins of sunglasses and suncare products have been done before. Several companies have shrink-wrapped inexpensive sunglasses with their bottles of suntan lotion."Banana Boat knows its suntan lotion, and Vision Eyewear knows its sunglasses," Emerson says. "It's a powerful combination."Four Banana Boat displays are currently available. The tower floor merchandiser holds 108 sunglasses. A power wing holds 36 sunglasses and is designed to fit Banana Boat's suntan lotion display carts. Some retailers are interested in the 108-piece "combo" unit, which features both suncare products and sunglasses in a self-contained system. To capture impulse sales, a 36-piece counter unit is available, too. Vision Eyewear, Emerson says, also works closely with retail accounts to customize displays.Banana Boat displays are made of vacuum-formed, high-impact yellow plastic. They feature four-color graphic cards that slide easily into side card slots. The displays are topped with fire-retardant grass skirting. The bases are made of Formica and wood.The program has been a success, "The current configurations feature about 18 sunglass styles, and they're all turning over quickly -- almost too quickly," Emerson says. "This a whole new concept -- the grass skirting and the yellow plastic have been very effective. Some of our retail accounts almost wish they had larger towers. Business has been that good."Vision Eyewear is developing additional Banana Boat displays that will feature more sunglasses. The current units were designed by Vision Eyewear. They were built by HARE Enterprises, Long Beach, Calif., and Sunglass Display Co., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

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