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In
Plain Sight
Eyeblack.com
Ready to Attack the Retail Marketplace
June
9, 2008
Peter Beveridge, President/CEO of Eyeblack.com,
knew he had something special on his hands from the moment
he introduced his product more than three years ago—even
if most in the licensed industry didn’t. A new twist
on traditional eyeblack for athletes, Beveridge's product
line was an immediate hit with the college players in his
test market.
“I launched with some ACC football teams,” recalls Beveridge. “The
players loved our eyeblack. The reaction from the industry wasn’t the same.
I could see people’s eyes rolling back. That’s the irony. Our eyeblack
has become a ubiquitous item in the licensed market. Now everyone gets it.”
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For 2008, Beveridge is making sure
that retailers nationwide are included in that “everyone.” Initially,
Eyeblack.com focused primarily on team dealers. Now the
company is ready to attack the licensed arena as a whole.
“Our core constituency will always be athletes,” says Beveridge. “But
a nice byproduct has been college fans. They can wear the exact same eyeblack
as their favorite players. We’re talking breathable medical grade tape
with college logos. Our goal is to get our product is every sporting goods store
and bookstore in the country.”
Eyeblack.com is off to a good start from a licensing standpoint. The company
has more than 50 schools in the fold, including those from all the major conferences.
Eyeblack.com has also received great media coverage. Pictures of athletes and
fans in the company’s product have been featured in magazines and newspapers
across the nation.
To help extend its reach at retail, Eyeblack.com recently debuted new packaging. “We’re
offering a two-pair blister package,” says Beveridge. “The graphics
are clean, clear and powerful.”
Given the solid foundation that Eyeblack.com has built, Beveridge is confident
that retail success is just a matter of time. “We are a unique company
with a unique product,” he says. “The same customers come back year
after year. The potential for mass distribution is huge.”
