Brands
Shubman Gill gets specs appeal as Oakley’s new poster boy
MUMBAI: India’s newly-appointed test series captain Shubman Gill has added designer shades to his flashy cricket gear, becoming Oakley’s latest brand ambassador in a partnership that promises to give Indian sport a serious style upgrade. The young batting sensation, known for his elegant stroke play and unflappable temperament, is now the face of Oakley’s Artifacts from the future campaign—his first foray into the eyewear game.
At 25, Gill has already established himself as one of cricket’s most promising talents, captivating fans with his consistency and composure under pressure. Now he’s set to captivate them with his choice of sunglasses too, joining an elite roster that includes football’s Kylian Mbappe, basketball’s Damian Lillard, and American football’s Patrick Mahomes II.
“I’m very excited to join Oakley, a brand that stands for performance, progression and passion – values that resonate strongly with mine.,” said Gill. “Oakley has been an integral part of my cricketing journey every time I took to the field. The innovative lens and frames technologies in every Oakley help enhance performance, and I love how unapologetically stylish they are!”
Oakley senior brand business manager Sahil Jandial was equally effusive about the partnership. “Oakley is firmly rooted in sports, and is one with the culture and community of athletes pushing the boundaries of performance. Shubman, with his relentless pursuit for perfection and progression, is a great embodiment of the Oakley spirit. I am confident this partnership will inspire millions to stay the course till they become the best version of themselves…. And onwards from there!”
The timing is spot-on for Oakley, which is marking its 50th anniversary with the launch of its futuristic “Artifacts from the future” collection. The range includes the Plantaris, described as “a high-wrap piece of future-facing art,” alongside the heritage-inspired Lateralis and the minimalist Masseter—names that sound more like Roman gladiators than sunglasses.
Oakley’s pitch is that these designs are “created for 2075 and delivered to 2025,” which is either brilliantly forward-thinking or the sort of marketing hyperbole that would make Don Draper blush. Either way, the California-based company, now owned by Luxottica, has built its reputation on innovation, holding more than 900 patents and establishing itself as the go-to brand for athletes who need to look good whilst performing exceptionally.
For Gill, the partnership represents more than just a commercial opportunity—it’s a chance to influence India’s youth beyond the cricket pitch. His journey from promising youngster to established international star and now test Captain for India mirrors Oakley’s own evolution from a small garage operation in 1975 to a global lifestyle brand.
The collaboration also reflects cricket’s growing commercial appeal, particularly in India where the sport commands massive audiences and generates enormous revenue. By aligning with one of the game’s stars, Oakley is betting that Gill’s influence extends far beyond the boundary rope.
Whether this partnership will inspire millions to “embrace their true selves and push beyond limits”—as the press release breathlessly claims—remains to be seen. But one thing’s certain: in the increasingly style-conscious world of modern sport, looking the part is almost as important as playing it. And with Gill now sporting Oakley’s latest designs, cricket just got a little cooler.
Brands
Uber launches hotel bookings feature in partnership with Expedia
From hotel bookings to room service at your door, the ride-hailing giant is making its boldest push yet into everyday life
CALIFORNIA: Uber is done being just a taxi app. At its annual GO-GET product event, the world’s leading mobility and delivery platform unveiled a sweeping set of new features designed to plant itself at the centre of how people travel, eat and shop, hotel bookings included.
The headline move is a partnership with Expedia Group that lets Uber users in the United States book hotels directly within the Uber app, with access to a catalogue that will eventually grow to more than 700,000 properties worldwide. Uber One members get 10 per cent back in Uber One credits on all hotel bookings and savings of at least 20 per cent on a rolling list of more than 10,000 hotels globally. Vacation rentals from Vrbo, Expedia Group’s home-rental brand, will be added later this year. The partnership is expected to expand beyond the United States. From June, Uber rides will also be integrated directly into the Expedia app, with push notifications sent to travellers ahead of hotel check-in to book discounted Uber rides for the duration of their stay.
Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of Uber, framed the expansion in terms of the modern condition. “Uber is becoming an app for everything, helping people go, get, and now travel all in one place,” he said. “We’re all living through a moment of real cognitive overload: too many apps, too many decisions, too much noise. At the end of the day, our job is to help people reclaim their time, spending less of it managing the logistics of life and more of it actually living.”
Ariane Gorin, chief executive of Expedia Group, struck a similarly ambitious note. “Travel should feel effortless, and this partnership gets us one step closer to offering a seamless traveller experience,” she said. “By connecting our two-sided marketplace with Uber, we’re bringing Uber rides directly into the Expedia app and Expedia Group’s lodging inventory into the Uber app through our Rapid API technology. Together, we’re helping travellers spend less time planning and more time enjoying the journey.”
Beyond hotels, the product announcements come thick and fast. Travel Mode, available within both the Uber and Uber Eats apps, offers curated recommendations on local favourites, tourist destinations, OpenTable restaurant reservations and on-demand delivery to hotel rooms. Uber One International means the membership programme now works globally, allowing members to earn credits on rides abroad that can be redeemed once back home. A new Shop for Me feature lets users request items from any store, even those not listed on the app. Eats for the Way allows riders in select cities booking an Uber Black or Uber Black SUV to have a drink or snack waiting for them in the car. Voice Bookings, powered by artificial intelligence, lets users book a ride conversationally, without touching their phone. And a redesigned One Search bar consolidates results for places, food and items across the entire Uber platform in a single query.
Uber has now logged more than 72 billion trips since it launched in 2010. The question it is now answering is what comes after the ride. The answer, apparently, is everything else. Whether users want a hotel in Paris, a coffee in the back of a car or a snake plant from the local garden centre, Uber would very much like to be the one to provide it. The app economy’s land grab has a new front-runner.
NOTE: The image used is AI generated and only for representational purposes.
