Serengeti (sunglasses brand)

Serengeti is a designer sunglasses brand parented by Bushnell Corporation.

Contents

Overview

The eyewear brand Serengeti was initially developed by Corning Incorporated. In 1984, Corning was considering to close down the Serengeti division because of poor performance. However, the entrepreneurial leader Zaki Mustafa convinced the board that he can save the brand. The success of his measures, implemented with only fifty-two employees, raised the sales at $5 million in 1985 and in 1992, at $62 million (with the same number of employees), becoming one of the most cited examples of effective management.[1] Mustafa considered that the previous management environment was too product-focused and that the business was failing due to poor marketing, anemic customer focus, and inefficient asset management.[2] The brand was acquired later by Bushnell Corporation.

Technology

The Serengeti sunglasses include photochromic technology, enabling quick adjustment of the lens to light variations, spectral control, giving high-definition contrast and color enhancement and polarization, reducing the glare and eliminating the ultraviolet rays.[3]

Media mentions

Pope Benedict XVI was cited as wearing the "pricey" sunglasses in 2006, and apparently from the same reporting, again in 2009.[4][5] In a broader review of the Pope's consumer-product preferences in 2006, his sunglasses were identified as being the company's Classic model -- "The classic appeal of the open road is only one of your options," was cited in the article, from the company Web site --, and "Hollywood star Val Kilmer" was also cited as wearing the company's eyewear.[6]

References

  1. ^ Thornberry, De Neal (2006), Lead like an entrepreneur, McGraw-Hill Professional, p. 198, ISBN 0072262354, 9780072262353 
  2. ^ Donald W. Huffmire, Jane D. Holmes (2006), Handbook of effective management, Libraries Unlimited, p. 149, ISBN 0899309232, 9780899309231 
  3. ^ Technology, Serengeti Eyewear, http://www.serengeti-eyewear.com/index_en.cfm, retrieved 2009-05-19 
  4. ^ "Mystery of Pope's night-time visits to his old haunts" by Hilary Clarke, Telegraph.co.uk, 14 Jan 2006. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  5. ^ "The Nuns’ Story" OpEd by Maureen Dowd, The New York Times, October 25, 2009 (Oct. 26, 2009 p. WK9 of NY ed.). Retrieved 2009-10-27. Dowd also mentions the red shoes which were mentioned (by name as Prada, there) in the 2006 report, making it seem as if there was no new reporting in 2009. Dowd cited no source.
  6. ^ "Discreet endorsement: Pope Inc. A dedicated follower of fashion" by Peter Popham, The Independent, 27 April 2006. Retrieved 2009-10-27. This, later article says the issue of the red shoes being Prada is unresolved. The Pope is extremely private about labels, having logos, like Adidas' in another example given, removed as well. The Independent article cites a Wall Street Journal article also of 2006. The Journal article did not show up in a non-subscriber search at WSJ.com for "pope benedict serengeti."