Oakley Goes To South America

I was having lunch with some friends (you know who you are) while the Chilean miners were being rescued. I noticed all the miners were wearing Oakley sunglasses. I mentioned that it was a deliberate product placement by Oakley and a few of my cohorts weren't completely convinced. Well, here's an article I read earlier today from Adland:

Yesterday was the day all 33 Chilean miners were rescued after spending 69 days underground. The whole operation was streamed live on TV, and on CNN.com, as each one of the 33 miners were brought up in what looked like a little rocket elevator. All miners were wearing sunglasses as they came up, as their eyes were accustomed to the dark, and these sunglasses were donated by Oakley.

The glasses retail at $$180, and 35 were donated to the effort, so $6300 was invested in what is projected to be worth $41 million in advertising time, as the images of the miners coming up is on practically every channel, worldwide.

Setting all keen observations beside; Congratulations to all of the miners who were rescued in last few days, I couldn't imagine spending 69 days in a cave without a hint of sunlight. And cheers to Oakley for seizing a great marketing opportunity and about 66 retinas.