There’s one detail of the drama that is the rescue of the trapped Chilean miners that seems to be lost in the deluge of hyperbolic missives of hope poured out by the awestruck onlookers. That oft-missed detail is the totally bitchin’ Oakley sunglasses each of the 18 rescued miners have rocked on their way out. Oakley donated 33 pairs of their $450 Radar line shades to the effort, one for each of the men stuck below the earth, The Telegraph reported.
The sunglasses are serving more of a purpose than simply making these newly minted Chilean stars look like your dad in the midst of a ill-attempted midlife crisis. “Medics have warned of damage to the miners’ retinas when they reach daylight after so long underground,” the Telegraph writes. That’s why this variety of Oakley shades comes with 100% protection against UV rays. Quality stuff!
But perhaps Oakley has more than just the purist of intentions behind their generous contribution to the Chilean miners miracle rescue extravaganza. CNBC had Front Row Analytics, a sponsorship evaluation firm, take a look at just how much exposure in the media these sunglasses are getting, and found that the wall-to-wall coverage of the event equates to about $41 million in free advertising for Oakley — and that’s just from television. The fact that every pair has that iconic Oakley “O” on the side can’t hurt, either.
Sunglasses store workers, take note: when you starting seeing customers in droves ask for the “Chilean miners shades,” you’re going to need to know where to direct them.
nfreeman@observer.com
