Since its launch in 2021, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have been an industry game-changer. According to Meta, the latest generation of this advanced eyewear is pulling in significant sales across the board.
In 60% of Ray-Ban’s physical stores in key locations, like Asia and the Middle East, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are outselling all the other products. Meanwhile, in the US, exclusive pop-up stores have become in demand.
Starting this month and running until the end of the year, the experiential concept will be in Los Angeles before moving to Phoenix by the end of January 2025. Prior to this, most Ray-Ban Metas were sold mostly online via Ray-Ban or other platforms like Target Optical.
Interestingly, though, one of the more unique ways that these smart glasses have approached their marketing is by focusing on partnerships with musicians. In their latest campaign, the two industry giants have onboarded British singer-songwriter James Blake, who joins fellow artists Tinashe and Anderson .Paak in a series of new online adverts.
Understanding the Ray-Ban Metas
Originally released in 2021 under the name Ray-Ban Stories, this take on wearable smart tech originally had a focus on content creation and consumption. However, as part of Meta and Ray-Ban’s goal to create a more universally functional product, they soon expanded the specs’ appealing features. For starters, the glasses now come in multiple styles. On Glasses.com, a leading retailer that offers the product, consumers can choose between diverse silhouettes, colorways, and lens tints. This includes models like the classic Wayfarers and relatively newer ones like the Skyler and Headliner. Additionally, the frame colors range from subdued blacks to more vibrant caramels. Apart from clear prescriptions, the lenses can also be tinted and coated with polarized filters. With this diverse offering, the smart glasses promise to be wearable no matter the user’s preference and walk of life.
On the more technical side, the smart glasses now have more hardware components that make it easier to communicate. Using an ultra-wide 12 MP lens, five-mic array, and open-ear audio, wearers can now livestream, record, take stills, listen to different types of audio, send messages, and make voice and video calls. Designed to be a hands-free experience, the Ray-Ban Metas are also equipped with Meta AI. Controllable using voice commands, the AI can be used for an even wider scope of uses, including live translations, image captioning and analysis, and real-time reminders. Because these features are meant to work beyond just social media and content production, this allows more demographics to enjoy them. Most notably, this includes those with disabilities since the update also includes a partnership with Be My Eyes, which is a volunteer-led organization for the visually challenged.
When Ray-Ban Meta and music meet
During the release of its first generation, the Ray-Ban Metas already leaned heavily into the music scene. For instance, respected artist Erykah Badu was among the celebrities tapped in initial online campaign materials. In her collaterals, the songstress showed how she uses the Ray-Ban Metas to keep abreast with her personal and professional passions. Since then, the smart glasses have grown their roster of musical collaborators. Recently, Chance the Rapper even made an appearance on a Meta panel. There, he discussed how AI could help reimagine music production by creating new soundscapes and finetuning compositions.
For crooner James Blake, his Ray-Ban Meta campaign focuses on highlighting how useful these smart glasses can be in everyday life. A Grammy winner whose 2023 albumPlaying Robots Into Heaven was critically acclaimed, Blake is known for his signature soulful take on electro-pop beats that have many calling him an innovator. True to form, Blake once again proved that his vision pushes ever forward by partnering with Ray-Ban Meta to showcase their latest and greatest updates.
In a series of online posts and videos across his personal accounts and Ray-Ban Meta’s, the 36-year-old is seen making the most of a party thanks to the glasses’ new multimodal AI abilities. Wearing a pair with photochromic Transitions lenses, Blake is shown recording the festivities and greeting fellow endorser Anderson .Paak using the the glasses’ uniquely immersive first-person POV camera. The short film also stars the aforementioned .Paak and singer Tinashe both also show new Ray-Ban Meta capabilities in action. Namely, these include providing reminders and making real-time environmental analyses. Across platforms like Instagram, the Ray-Ban Meta account also featured still studio shots of Blake wearing different models of the glasses.
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