FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., July 20, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Oakley, Inc. (NYSE:OO) today announced it has renewed its licensing agreement with Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Borsa Italiana:DMH) for an additional three years. Established in 2003, the partnership has yielded a historic collection of eyewear that exemplifies both companies passion for technology, innovation, and design. New for 2007 is a signature edition Ducati OIL DRUM(r), a salute to the world championship career of Ducati racer Loris Capirossi.
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"Our partnership with Ducati has achieved tremendous success with past product offerings, and we are excited to extend the ongoing alliance," said Colin Baden, president of Oakley, Inc. "Our two companies share a lineage of aggressive design and innovation, as well as a drive to explore unconventional roads of thinking. Ducati motorcycles have more single race victories than all other competitors combined, and we are honored to carry their emblem and colors on exclusive optical inventions that turn science into art."
"Oakley continually raises the bar for performance eyewear and the company's innovative designs continue to be the favorite of Ducati racers," commented Gabriele Del Torchio, chief executive officer of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. "Oakley is a dynamic and compelling brand that succeeds by combining the very best technologies and designs, and their ideals of excellence reflect the same uncompromising standards of Ducati engineering and design. We embrace this opportunity to build on our partnership and enrich Ducati's global network with additional products that salute the best of both companies."
The Loris Capirossi signature edition Ducati OIL DRUM(r) features Ducati colors, graphics and ear stems with the racer's emblem and competition number. This unique eyewear design is crafted from durable, lightweight O Matter(r) frame material with the styling of hard-edge lines. Ultraviolet light-stopping Plutonite(r) lenses open peripheral view with an 8.75 base lens curvature and the clarity of XYZ Optics(r), one of the patented innovations of Oakley's proprietary High Definition Optics(r) (HDO(r)). The Ducati logo is laser etched near the bottom edge of the left lens. For more information on the Loris Capirossi signature edition Ducati OIL DRUM(r) please visit http://oakley.com/pd/4807.
Special editions in the signature eyewear line also include Ducati FIVES(r) 3.0, Ducati GASCAN(r), Ducati JULIET(r), Ducati MONSTER DOG(tm), and the Ducati SQUARE WIRE(r) . Rendered with color schemes and graphic treatments consistent with Ducati products, the frames are authenticated with the emblem found on some of the world's fastest motorcycles, and laser etching on the lens signs each piece with the Ducati trademark.
Also announced is a special edition Ducati MX CROWBAR(tm) goggle, which is planned for an autumn release. The goggle will honor Ducati's new HYPERMOTARD(tm) bike, one of the most aggressive and exciting new sport motorcycles in the world of motorsports.
These products are available through Oakley's sunglass distribution points around the globe, and at exclusive Ducati Stores and dealerships in Ducati's distribution network.
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About Ducati
Founded in 1926, Ducati builds racing-inspired motorcycles characterized by unique engine features, innovative design, advanced engineering and overall technical excellence. The Company produces motorcycles in market segments which vary in their technical and design features and intended customers: Superbike, Monster, Multistrada, SportClassic, Sport Touring and the new Hypermotard. The Company's motorcycles are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide, with a primary focus in the Western European, Japan and North American markets. Ducati has won fourteen of the last sixteen World Superbike Championship titles and more individual victories than the competition put together. Since 2003 Ducati has also been taking part in the MotoGP World Championship. This year it is currently in first place in the series. For more information about the Company, please visit our web site at http://www.ducati.com.
About Oakley, Inc.
Oakley is a global leader in sport performance optics including premium sunglasses, goggles and prescription eyewear. Headquartered in Southern California, the company's optics brand portfolio includes Dragon, Eye Safety Systems, Fox Racing, Mosley Tribes, Oliver Peoples and Paul Smith Spectacles. In addition to its global wholesale business, the company operates retail chains including Bright Eyes, Oakley Stores, Sunglass Icon and The Optical Shop of Aspen. The company also offers a wide selection of Oakley-branded apparel, footwear, watches and accessories. Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.
Safe Harbor Disclaimer
Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. All statements in this press release, other than those that are purely historical, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements typically are identified by the use of terms such as "expect," "believe," "plan," "intend," "seek," "anticipate," "outlook," "estimate," "assume," "project," "target," "could," "will," "should," "may," and "continue," as well as variations of such words and similar expressions, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding product, retail and brand initiatives, marketing efforts, upcoming product releases, operational improvements, on-time apparel deliveries, responsiveness to retailers and consumers and the ability to drive consistent, profitable growth. The company's expectations, beliefs, anticipations, objectives, intentions, plans and strategies regarding the future are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, and actual events that occur, to differ materially from results contemplated by the forward-looking statement. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the highly competitive markets for our products and our ability to develop innovative new products and introduce them in a timely manner; consumer acceptance of our new products and our ability to respond to changing consumer preferences; order and demand uncertainty; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; intellectual property infringement claims by others and our ability to protect our intellectual property; our dependence on key suppliers for materials we use in our products, including lens blanks; our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses into our operations; our dependence on athletes and personalities for the endorsement of our products; risks associated with our international operations, including foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and the impact of quotas, tariffs, or other restrictions on the importation or exportation of our products; and risks associated with our previously announced merger agreement, including resolution of outstanding or future litigation, differences between actual fees and our estimates, and other unanticipated developments. Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ from those set forth in any forward-looking statement are discussed in more detail under "Risk Factors," "Business" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, as well as similar disclosures in the company's subsequent SEC filings. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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