Meta and Oakley’s new AI glasses target performance users but are marketed with athletes. Did they miss the mark? Content creators might have been a better fit.
July 2, 2025
Studio
Meta’s recent announcement of its Oakley-branded AI smart glasses, dubbed Supernova 2, marks a significant move into the performance wearables market.
Designed with athletes in mind, featuring water resistance, a centered POV camera, and real-time Meta AI, it’s clear the product targets active, outdoor users.
But as slick as the tech is, Meta and Oakley’s marketing strategy raises an important question: Should they have chosen content creators instead of athletes to lead the campaign?
Oakley’s launch strategy leans heavily on global sports icons like Kylian Mbappé and Patrick Mahomes. The branding is bold, fast-paced, and ultra-athletic, mirroring Oakley’s traditional focus on high-performance eyewear.
This works if the glasses were purely for performance. But these aren’t just sport sunglasses.
They’re wearable cameras with AI, tools that scream content creation.
The glasses are built for storytelling.
With features like a center-mounted camera for natural POV content, 3K video and 12MP photos, Meta AI integration for real-time, voice-activated support, these glasses offer exactly what vloggers, TikTokers, YouTubers, and streamers crave: hands-free, high-quality, immersive content capture.
Athletes may wear them for training or events, but content creators are the ones who’ll use them daily, to vlog, tour, react, review, and connect.
Creators drive trend adoption.
From ring lights to drones and GoPros, it’s content creators, not athletes, who turn tools into must-haves. A YouTuber unboxing the glasses, filming a day-in-the-life, or testing the AI could do more for awareness and conversions than an athlete wearing them in a slick, scripted montage.
While Oakley has always been tied to sports, Meta’s tech leans more social than competitive. Creators often interact with their followers in real-time, create BTS and on-the-go content and they need wearable tech that balances style with substance.
The glasses’ open-ear audio, real-time AI responses, and portable charge case speak more to creators walking through cities than athletes training for the Olympics.
So, was this a missed opportunity or strategic choice?
To Oakley’s credit, targeting elite athletes cements the brand’s credibility. It positions these AI glasses as tough, high-performance gear. But the crossover potential is massive and untapped.
But, Imagine instead:
POV videos from travel influencers trekking through Iceland, food bloggers cooking while narrating hands-free, fashion creators filming lookbooks in first-person and IRL Twitch streamers walking busy city streets, interacting in real-time.
These use cases would not only sell the product’s capabilities, they’d also resonate with consumers who see themselves more as creators than competitors.
As Meta rolls out broader availability of the Oakley AI glasses, starting with limited editions at $499 in July, it would be smart to shift the narrative.
Bring creators into the spotlight. Encourage early adopters to document their experiences. Reward UGC (user-generated content).
Build a community around creativity, not just performance.
The product has promise. The hardware is strong. The design is purposeful. But to really win hearts and wallets, Oakley and Meta may need to reframe the story, not just around sport, but around storytelling.
Because in the age of TikTok, YouTube, and real-time content, creators are the new athletes.
Are you looking to re-shape your brand strategy?
Whether you’re launching wearable tech or redefining your audience approach, your brand deserves a strategy that speaks to the right people, at the right moment.
At Serotonin, we help brands like yours connect with modern audiences through powerful storytelling, influencer partnerships, and data-driven digital strategy.
Let’s build your next big campaign, get in touch.
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