Type Subsidiary Founder Corning Incorporated Products Eyewear and sunglasses | Founded 1983 Key people Zaki Mustafa | |
Headquarters 9200 Cody, Overland Park, Kansas - United States | ||
Serengeti Eyewear is a high-end sunglasses designer brand owned by Bushnell Corporation. Their main focus is eye protection, of which the company researches and develops state of the art technology such as photochromic lenses, polarized lenses, spectral control, among other.
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Overview
The brand was developed by Corning. In 1984, Corning considered closing its Serengeti division due to poor financial performance. However, entrepreneur Zaki Mustafa convinced the board that he could save the brand. He attributed product-centric focus, poor marketing, anemic customer service, and inefficient asset management as the causes of poor sales. With only fifty-two employees, he successfully raised sales from $5 million in 1985 to $62 million in 1992.
In 1995, Corning decided to sell the sunglass business. Vivian Gernand became the director and brought in a team to re-position the brand as more high end.. The re-position included the introduction of the Signia line for younger consumers, increased sports line and updated materials and changes for the Driver line. Gross profit increased as a percentage of sales, from approximately 35% for the three months ended September 30, 1996 to approximately 54% for the same period in 1997, primarily as a result of product mix. Approximately 73% of the 1997 sales consisted of premium Serengeti products that carry gross margins significantly higher than the company's non-premium products that comprised substantially all of the company's sales in 1996.
The Serengeti brand was acquired by Bushnell in September 2000.
Technology
Serengeti sunglasses include photochromic technology that enables quick adjustment of lens to light variations, spectral control technology that gives high-definition contrast and color enhancement, and polarization technology that reduces glare and blocks ultraviolet rays.
Media mentions
Pope Benedict XVI was seen wearing Serengeti's Classic model sunglasses in 2006 and 2009. Hollywood star Val Kilmer has also been seen wearing Serengeti sunglass. In 2007, actor Patrick Dempsey signed a contract to endorse Serengeti sunglasses. He used a few models in the 2008 film Made Of Honor. Actor Jack Nicholson was spotted wearing several Serengeti sunglasses, among them, the Serengeti Rieti during the 90's.