The first section of the product life cycle diagram is commonly referred to as the Introduction Stage. In this Introduction Stage, new products are being introduced to the target market. In regards to the ski industry, a product that epitomizes this stage is the Oakley Airwave. This extraordinary modern technology is quite similar to the Google glasses, which are still a relatively new product. These Oakley Airwaves are a ski goggle technology that allows you to see your speed, altitude, etc..., all on a personal projected screen, similar to the Google glasses. At the shocking price of $650, this product has been unappealing to the average skier or boarder who mainly look for something that is exceptionally cheap. Fortunately for Oakley, this expensive product does not require as many sales as the ordinary goggle, mainly due to the fact that one set of Airwaves is almost 5 times the price of a standard, high quality goggle from Oakley. The ski industry in general, is very complex, and based off of high prices. Skis for instance, can range from $400 at a blowout sale, to $1300. What I am trying to portray here is that most of the basic necessities required for skiing are high priced, so having a high price is nothing new to this industry. Since this technology is so advanced, it is almost essential to price this product at $650. Over time, I believe that this price will decrease but will absolutely remain well above the price of the standard goggle.
As far as marketing goes, Oakley has done a somewhat subpar job advertising this product. With me being a skier, I follow nearly every company, and am up to date with every new product that is introduced to the industry. Personally, I have not seen a lot of advertising of this product; however, the power of the word of mouth covers up for Oakley's slack in advertising. There has been a fair amount of hype about this product over the internet, and through word of mouth, because Oakley is the first company in skiing to design something of this caliber. As a company, I feel that Oakley will succeed in the development of this product because Oakley is one of the top name brands in ski goggles, with competitors like Smith and Electric, maintaining the quality of their brand is no difficult task. Even if this product falls to the decline stage rather quickly, Oakley should not be concerned because they have too strong of a company to fall from one product.
Overall, the Oakley Airwave is not a "must have" product, but it is definitely dragging attention to the brand itself. Whether people actually buy the product or not, Oakley is receiving some strong recognition for their innovativeness. People throughout the industry will be talking about this new product that Oakley has come up with. With all of this talk about the new product, it puts Oakley in the spotlight, which I believe is what they mainly wanted from the creation of this product.
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