Meta has reportedly acquired a 3% stake in EssilorLuxottica, the eyewear giant behind Ray-Ban and Oakley. The €3 billion ($3.5 billion) investment signals more than a financial move - it’s a strategic deepening of Meta’s long-term push into AI-powered hardware, particularly smart glasses. For brand marketers, this signals a growing convergence of fashion, tech, and augmented experiences - and a new frontier for branded interaction.
Smart Glasses Are Becoming Mainstream
Smart glasses are no longer novelty gadgets. Ray-Ban Meta glasses, launched in 2021, have seen stronger-than-expected uptake, prompting deeper collaboration between the two companies. The addition of Oakley-branded glasses in 2025 further expands Meta’s footprint.
According to Counterpoint Research, smart wearable shipments are expected to reach 600 million units globally by 2027, with smart glasses making up an increasing share thanks to their blend of function and style.
What’s Working: Pros
Blending Style and Tech: Unlike bulky headsets, smart glasses from Meta x EssilorLuxottica integrate cameras, AI assistants, and voice commands into traditional eyewear styles.
Brand Equity Built-In: Ray-Ban and Oakley bring decades of cultural cachet, helping smart glasses sidestep the “gadget” stigma that plagued earlier wearables.
Direct-to-Consumer Ecosystem: Meta’s ownership of the hardware enables control over user data, interface, and services - bypassing gatekeepers like Apple or Samsung.
Limitations and Risks: Cons
Privacy Backlash: Always-on cameras and voice assistants raise surveillance concerns, especially in public spaces.
Fragmented Market: Many players - from Amazon to Snap - are competing, with no clear standard or dominant form factor yet.
Battery and Tech Constraints: Miniaturisation of sensors and batteries remains a technical challenge, limiting extended use.
Opportunities for Brands
Immersive Advertising: Smart glasses open the door for context-aware branded overlays - from virtual product try-ons to real-world-triggered content.
Hands-Free Search and Commerce: AI-powered voice interfaces can enable seamless product discovery and voice shopping.
Location-Based Activations: Brands could build activations where digital layers appear in physical spaces - offering exclusive content, offers, or narratives.
Challenges Ahead
Platform Dependency: Early brand integration may hinge on Meta’s ecosystem, creating reliance on its APIs and data policies.
User Adoption Curve: While growing, smart glasses adoption is still niche relative to smartphones or smartwatches.
Creative Format Limitations: The screenless nature of some models means brands need to rethink UX beyond visuals.
Key Takeouts
Meta’s €3B stake cements smart glasses as a core hardware pillar, not an experimental side project.
The fusion of fashion and function (Ray-Ban, Oakley) gives smart glasses cultural traction.
Brand experiences must evolve to fit AI-driven, screenless, voice-first interfaces.
Smart glasses offer a glimpse into the future of ambient, always-available branded interaction.
Next Steps for Brand Marketers
Start Prototyping: Develop voice-first or audio-based branded content for wearable interfaces.
Monitor Smart Wearables: Track consumer sentiment and behaviour around emerging smart glasses platforms.
Engage Early: Partner with Meta or other platforms for early branded beta activations - to learn, iterate, and lead.
Think Beyond the Screen: Rethink your brand’s identity in an ambient, visual-light, context-heavy future.
Meta’s investment in EssilorLuxottica is not just a bet on smart glasses - it’s a signpost toward the next major shift in how people experience digital content in the real world. For marketers, the time to explore is now.