Illuminating success: Olight's journey from obscurity to flashlight industry leader
Mavis Xiao, Olight's VP and chief marketing officer, cuts the ribbon alongside colleagues at the world's first flashlight experience store in the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping center. GET Creative
Olight has done more than just light up the lives of everyday consumers with its useful products. They’ve also supported important social causes worldwide, from sending products to communities recovering from natural disasters to carrying out medical charity sales and even helping rescue animals.
Olight is committed to being a world leader in premium flashlights, continuously driving the industry forward with cutting-edge LED technology and functionality. Many recognize Olight for their everyday carry flashlights. However, the brand also offers a wide range of portable lighting solutions, from headlamps to mountables and tactical lights, among other products.
"The launch of our first-ever experience store is another way for Olight to connect more closely with our fans, tech lovers and shoppers," said Mavis Xiao, VP and chief marketing officer for the brand.
Customers test out products at Olight's first-ever experience store. GET Creative
"Olight has always been committed to putting customers first, offering exceptional service, and constantly striving to exceed expectations,” Xiao continued. “We are excited to announce the opening of our first-ever experience store."
This milestone marks a new chapter in Olight’s journey. It allows the company to connect more closely with fans, tech enthusiasts, and shoppers, offering them an immersive and hands-on way to explore Olight’s innovative products.
The new experience store, which officially opened in the Fashion Show Las Vegas (FSLV) in September, provides an immersive space where consumers can shop, discover new products and experience all that Olight has to offer.
Innovative products to ‘Illuminate Your World’
Portable lighting solutions from Olight provide a user-first experience - some product ideas have even come from Olight's 'O-Fans' themselves. Olight
Since the company’s start in 2007, much of its success has stemmed from prioritizing the user experience above all else. "Every product we design starts with putting the user experience first," said Xiao. "We’ve continually looked for ways to innovate and push the industry forward — even reaching out directly to our O-Fans to see what they want next."
"We have more than 1,000 patents and invest more than 8% of our revenue in research and development each year, which will continue to grow every year," said Xiao. The company is also actively establishing a school-enterprise cooperation, allowing Olight to work directly with students to help them develop skills and gain on-the-job experience.
At the grand opening of their new experience store, they launched several hot new products. Among them was the upgraded Arkfeld Ultra, made with OAL materials, Olight’s revolutionary grade of proprietary aluminum that took over three years to develop and perfect. OAL is as light as standard aluminum but far tougher — 1.77 times harder than standard 6061 aluminum alloy, providing greater wear and tear resistance. Even when scratched, OAL helps the Arkfeld Ultra maintain a "like new" appearance.
The Arkfeld Uitra's calming color naturally occurs during the oxidation process of Olight's proprietary OAL materials. Olight
The Arkfeld Ultra is an upgrade to the original award-winning Arkfeld Pro, known for its three-in-one functionality and durability, which has long been a favorite among consumers.
"I’m responsible for getting my coworkers to purchase Olight flashlights, specifically the Arkfeld Pro," said Jacob Jackson, a crane technician based in Millbrook, Alabama. "Recently, I was changing out a gearbox and motor on an overhead crane and accidentally left my Arkfeld Pro inside the drum. I thought it was gone forever but was able to recover the light and found it still works — even after turning around in the drum for four months."
Even feline friends can't resist the cozy, comforting glow of Olight's new Sphere. Olight
Another exciting addition to Olight’s home-products lineup is the Sphere. This glowing nightlight sets the vibe with a full sphere of illumination and multiple color options, from a cozy halo for bedtime to a red signaling light.
Making the world a brighter place
Olight's VP and chief marketing officer, Mavis Xiao, discusses one of Olight's most important goals: making the world a better place. GET Creative
Olight is committed to becoming a global leader in premium flashlights and driving the industry forward. The company also works to positively impact people and communities.
"Olight is committed to being a responsible company, prioritizing social responsibility above all else," said Xiao. For example, when disasters strike, Olight’s policy allows employees in affected areas to donate products promptly and unconditionally, ensuring that support reaches those in need as quickly as possible.
"In these moments, profit is not our focus; instead, we are driven by our duty to make a positive impact," Xiao explained. "I believe the true purpose of a company's existence is to contribute to making society a better place."
From flood relief and medical charity sales to various community support initiatives, Olight has donated around 4 million in value across 13 countries, including products and financial contributions, to communities worldwide over the years.
Olight's animal charity partners take the stage at the experience store launch event. GET Creative
Recently, Olight expanded its charitable efforts to include rescue animals. Animals provide companionship, security and stress relief. Despite their significant roles, many animals are often neglected.
Olight's new Arkfeld Pro Paw Edition helps support animals.
For every Arkfeld Pro Paw Edition sold, Olight will donate $5 to animal protection organizations.
Olight’s customers had shared that the Arkfeld Pro benefits their beloved pets, which brought the brand’s attention to the plight of stray animals who suffer from hunger and illness. It inspired Olight to focus on the well-being of animals, recognizing their importance alongside people.
At their Vegas launch event, Olight introduced the new Arkfeld Pro Paw Edition, specially crafted to support stray animals. The design highlights the elegant Egyptian cat deity and the Labrador Retriever, symbols of vigilance and illumination.
Purchasing Olight's new Arkfeld Pro Paw Edition helps support animal welfare initiatives. Olight
Olight partners with global nonprofit organizations to promote fee-waived adoption through the Olight Animal Charity Campaign. A portion of the Arkfeld Pro Paw Edition sales — $5 per unit — will support animal welfare initiatives, such as fee-free adoptions.
Embracing fan culture and consumer needs
Olight fans attend the first-ever experience store opening in the Fashion Show Las Vegas shopping center. Oight
Olight’s excellent customer service (including 24-hour online support) and lifetime warranty policy have garnered a unique fan culture for their products, attracting everyone from everyday shoppers to serious tech enthusiasts. Recent optimizations to logistics, including smart warehouses based in Arizona and Virginia, provide superior delivery service.
In addition to their commitment to social responsibility, Olight has built a strong connection with its customer base through social media, a loyalty program that offers various tiers of rewards, and an 'O-Club' campaign that provides engaging experiences and interactions for customers.
The brand also hosts annual in-person gatherings to thank loyal fans for their continued support. "For me, the most anticipated thing every year is the 'O-Fan Day,'" said Xiao. “I look forward to communicating and sharing with fans face-to-face." Past fan days have included attendees from all over the world who value in-person interaction with other Olight fans. "It’s a remarkable experience, and they feel honored to be present here for the event," said Xiao.
Olight’s fan community includes an active Facebook group with over 175,000 members. During the first-ever experience store launch, over 15,000 virtual participants participated in addition to the 270 in-person attendees — a testament to how strong Olight’s fan culture truly is.
Joshua Nehlig speaks on his experience being part of Olight's fan community at the first-ever experience store launch event. GET Creative
Joshua Nehlig, an ‘O-Fan’ honored at the event, said Olight’s innovation and world-class customer service are just a few reasons he's become an avid brand fan. "I don't do business with any other company that comes close to what Olight offers," Nehlig shared on stage at the event. "They truly care about customers and fans. It feels like a community."
Olight loves customers' excitement about their products and wants them to be involved. "Our fan culture is part of the brand," said Xiao. "Now we have an opportunity, through the new store and our social initiatives, to be even more involved in what matters to our customers."
To learn more about Olight, visit olight.com.
*Article from USA Today