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Ray-Ban?s interactive Tumblr reimagines street posters for mobile era

Sunglass brand Ray-Ban has a new Tumblr page where users virtually tear away layers of posters to create new messages that are shareable on social media and support the brand's connection to fans.

The sunglass brand developed the interactive page as apart of its Campaign for Change, in which users rip off pieces of recent posters to create and share new posters.. Ray-Ban depends on its trendy image and creates campaigns such as this to further that image and have fun with its fans. 

"In this specific case with Ray-Ban, the brand is wanting to engage the demographic to become a part of their overall marketing message builder as being engaged at this level could increase the number of shares, blogs and discussions surrounding social media," said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis, Atlanta, GA. "Potentially also engaging a younger audience through the use of Tumblr."

Tumbling with marketing
Ray-Ban shared the Tumblr page via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, encouraging users to engage with the responsive social media page. Users can also share their results on their own social media pages to further the effort?s reach. Consumers are far more likely to get involved after being persuaded by friends rather than the brand. 

The brand spun a new take on the traditional make a difference campaigns by appealing to the humorous side of consumers through social media with its Never Hide, Campaign for Change (see more). 

The new Tumblr page is apart of that and takes user- and brand-generated fake posters that feature made up campaigns for users to play with. The page features the created posters and users digitally tear away the bottom of the poster to reveal another one, emulating the real-life tradition of ripping away actual posters to create new phrases. 
Once users decides on a new mixed and matched campaign they like, they can share the image through social media, which links back for other users to give it a try as well. 

This is one of the many unique marketing tactics that Ray-Ban is implementing for the summer, which is its most popular time. 

The sunglass brand is known for its popular Aviator designs and is sharing pictures of images that take on the aviator shape in unexpected places. For instance the brand shared a picture of eggs, in which the yolk imitated the image of the iconic aviator glass shape with the hashtag #AviatorSightings. 

An emoji board on iOS, named Regards, was created by Ray-Ban and recently updated with new emojis for fans to increase the conversation surrounding the brand. The application features images and GIFs of characters wearing Ray-Ban products. 

Last year the brand created another app to have fun with fans in an effort to appeal to their nostalgia side, named Rewind. The sunglass designer created paper mix tapes that users can scan through the mobile app and listen to the virtual mix tape on their phones. 

Interactive mobile experience
In February the brand launched another app, Reflections that allows users to take two pictures and combine them as if it is a reflection on a Ray-Ban sunglass lens. Users can pick which of their favorite lenses the image will emulate. 

These types of unique mobile interactive sites allow for brands to connect with their fans and consumers in a fun way and interesting experience. 

Recently, makeup manufacturer Benefit released its newest eyebrow-related invention, a mobile optimized site that details how users should style their brows, to promote its brow-shaping products and services (see more). 

"If the Ray-ban goal is to drive awareness then this could be a success," Ms. Troutman said. "These types of social campaigns can have a stickiness factor that can far outlast the initial run of the campaign, adding to brand awareness with minimal cost.  

"It is typical of forward thinking brands that approach marketing with the new social media hit and run guerrilla tactics to engage their consumers on a one to one basis, brand to consumer," she said. "This is maximum speed, low drag marketing in the 21st century. "

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer