The Top Gun effect: Popularity for Aviator-style sunnies soar

Following the latest blockbuster movie release of Top Gun: Maverick, new insights released from the price and product comparison site, PriceSpy, reveals popularity for Ray-Ban Aviators is soaring.

According to PriceSpy, the number of shoppers looking to purchase a pair of 80’s-style Ray-Ban Aviators is currently skyrocketing, with the number of people looking to purchase up as much as 158 per cent since the film debuted last week.

What’s more, the Ray-Ban Aviator model is also ranking as the #1 most-popular sunglasses product on PriceSpy, jumping eight positions up from ninth most-popular last week.

Liisa Matinvesi-Bassett, UK country manager for PriceSpy, says: “A lot has changed since the original Top Gun movie launched some 34 years ago. But one thing that remains the same in the new movie, Top Gun: Maverick, is Tom Cruise continues to wear an iconic pair of Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses.”

And it’s not just Brits that appear to be loving the Maverick look. Consumer buying interest on PriceSpy’s global sites for Ray-Ban’s Aviator sunglasses is also on the up:

• In Sweden, consumer buying interest increased +64 per cent;
• In Finland, consumer buying interest increased +86 per cent;
• In Norway, consumer buying interest increased +42 per cent;
• In France, consumer buying interest increased +30 per cent.

Liisa concludes: “With Top Gun: Maverick and Tom Cruise back on the big screen, history appears to be once again repeating itself, with buying amongst Brits for the iconic Ray-Ban RB3025 Aviators increasing over 150 per cent since the film first aired two weeks ago.

“It is very unusual to see such a significant and sudden change in buying behaviours like this - and it’s still very early days with the film’s release.

“One thing’s certainly for sure - all round popularity for all things Top Gun, Tom Cruise and Ray-Ban appears to be timeless!”

Top 5 Aviator-style sunglasses:

1. Ray-Ban RB3025 Aviator
2. Ray-Ban RB3025 Aviator Polarized
3. Polaroid PLD2100 Polarized
4. Polaroid PLD2089 Polarized
5. Hugo Boss 1118 /S

Other interesting facts*

• In the early 1980s, Ray-Ban sold only 18,000 sunglasses a year. However, in the late 80's, the brand underwent a huge resurgence, selling millions of pairs of sunglasses all over the world. One reason behind this success is Tom Cruise. At the time, he was one of the biggest movie stars in the world and often wore a pair of Ray-Bans in the original Top Gun release.

• The film ‘Risky Business’ made Ray-Ban’s Wayfarer model popular in 1982. Four years later, the Aviator model became even bigger thanks to the Top Gun movie. Some sources say that sales of Aviator glasses increased by 40 percent shortly after the first Top Gun movie screened in cinemas*.

• Aviators are a model that were released by Ray-Ban for pilots originally in the 1930s. They quickly became available to the public as well. The model became very popular in the 70s and 80s, perhaps mainly thanks to Tom Cruise in Top Gun 1986.

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www.pricespy.co.uk

Notes to editor

* Grailed reported that Aviator sales increased by 40% after the first Top Gun movie.