The “Excuse”

The idea of a low-cost, local sunglass company piqued some curiosity within our social circle and we had to answer. Soon after developing the brand, we departed for spring break where the company’s mission began to take shape. 

We traveled down to Gulf Shores, Alabama with nothing but a box of first generation KGs and an open mind. After a truly absurd trip, our company message was becoming clear and we began to figure out how we would best pinpoint and serve our young, evolving market.

College students spend hundreds of dollars on sunglasses only to lose them repeatedly in the ocean, at a party or in a bar. Students in the 18- to 24-year-old age range, especially men, are yearning to define themselves, and sunglasses are one of the few accessories that can help them stand out of a crowd. Nevertheless, college students stick to bland styles because they naturally gravitate toward top-of-mind brand names. With further market research, we discovered that consumers are fearful about buying exotic brands and styles because of a self-conscious perception that they don’t look good in them.

There exists a dichotomy between the perception of one’s image in a pair of sunglasses and how the glasses actually look on the wearer. Men and women want to be told they look good in a pair of sunglasses before they purchase them. They want to feel confident in their frames. They want their crush to compliment them before they spend $200 on sunglasses, but their crush is not there when they are shopping online or even in a store. Keesh Goggles took an interesting approach to end the necessity of positive reinforcement. We created an excuse.

Keesh Gogglesframes come with a story that reinforces a customer’s choice. They are designed for having fun, for being crazy, for standing out. The brand is meant to be funny. Humor helps destroy the negative self-perception that hinders consumers from branching out stylistically. We sell a lifestyle, a crazy moment captured on Instagram or Snapchat, a memory. We do not sell sunglasses; we sell good times. Each frame has its own unique biography and has suggestions on where it should be worn. The funny aspect of the biography allows consumers to justify wearing a more exotic frame because they can tell their peers that they are wearing sunglasses with a story.

As the brand developed and our inventory expanded, we bootstrapped our startup growth. Everything from the company’s website, paid advertisements, social media, graphic portfolio and customer service was created by us and still managed by us daily. All of the content we produce is designed to reinforce those positive vibes that our entire brand rides on.

It is supposed to be different. It is supposed to be unusual. And at times, it is supposed to be strange. Our goal is to give our customers something unique to stand behind. We are giving a new voice to the market that has been drowned by companies all producing essentially the same brand.

KG is a lifestyle brand. And although it seems like every emerging brand is deeming itself a ‘lifestyle brand’ we stand by this claim. We represent more than just the low-cost glasses that you may wear to the bar or a day out on the town. We represent that unforgettable memory while walking around downtown or that classic story of the weird guy at the bar. As mentioned, KG represents good times. So let us be your excuse to get wild, be happy and have some fun.