The Knockaround story
A pair of sunglasses is sat on, lost, or broken every 14 minutes. Given the likelihood of sunglasses being lost or damaged, consumers are faced with the dilemma of whether to buy a high-quality or a more affordable product.
Back in 2005, while still an art student at the University of California, Ace Moyer decided to resolve this issue and launch a line of affordable, yet high-quality and stylish sunglasses. His inspiration? A pair of well-worn sneakers his father used to wear to mow the lawn. “He called them his ‘knockaround’ sneakers—you could count on them, they were dependable, and you didn’t care if they got beaten up”.
The idea of inexpensive, practical sunglasses that combined the preppy East Coast style with the laid-back Californian vibe quickly charmed the public. Soon anyone from college students to celebrities could be seen rocking Knockarounds.
The dark side of success
As the brand became more successful and started growing, so did the number of counterfeit Knockarounds throughout the internet. Even though the team was not sure about the amount of money they were losing to counterfeiters, they were aware of the damage this was causing to their brand in terms of image and credibility.
Counterfeits not only affect brands in terms of revenues but also hurt their reputation. In the case of Knockaround, fakes are even more dangerous because they risk the health of the consumers, who are unknowingly buying imitation products that generally lack any regulation and do not meet basic safety standards.
