Iconic sunglasses brand, Ray-Ban – has announced the latest chapter of its Never Hide communications platform, #Campaign4Change.

This new campaign showcases the iconoclastic, Never Hide spirit that lies at the heart of the Ray-Ban brand, bringing to life inspirational individuals as pioneers, trailblazers and rule breakers in their everyday lives, ready for a change.

Bringing the campaign to life across the region, Ray-Ban Middle East & North Africa has invited a group of ambassadors that embody Never Hide spirit, to create and spread a #Campaign4Change they believe in.

We caught up with one of the ambassadors, Dany Neville to get his take on Ray-Ban and all things drifting…

Drifting is still a niche sport – what drew you to it?

I would say the lifestyle of drifting has been the biggest attraction for me, meeting people from all over the world that happened to be involved in drifting showed me plenty of common traits that I could relate to, from being competitive to just living life with a constant smile on your face. Prior to competing, every event I attended was a celebration of good times more than anything. I would leave with that feeling of not being able to wait for the next event, as soon as I started competing, it just kept getting better, the sportsmanship that my fellow drivers would show was just incredible.

How has the sport developed since you have been involved with it – is it becoming more mainstream? 

Drift UAE has done a great job at positioning the drift scene with the right audience, not to mention the great initiatives they have taken by aligning the Season with the Pro Drift Academy as well as other key brands and drivers.

Since I first joined the PRO circuit (December 2014), I have witnessed a great boost in online presence and on-ground organisation. Drift UAE teaming up with David Eagan and his team from IDC played a massive role in exposing the drift lifestyle to the masses in the region.

Who would you count among your drifting ‘icons’? Who inspires you? 

Like Music, I get inspiration from every single person involved in the drifting scene, from drivers to mechanics, everyone plays a key role, to me inspiration is the ability to learn from my surroundings, whether it be music or cars – knowledge is power.

As for people I look up to, there are too many to mention. To name a few, my team mate Sultan Al Quassimi is someone who has always taken the time to advise and correct me – on and off track, another person would be Vaughn Gittin Jr, my mentor. In general, I would say every person contributing to the well being of the scene would be a good example to the next generation.

Do you enjoy competing in drifting competitions? Any victories you’re particularly proud of? 

Competition day is always a pleasure and something I look forward to, it’s like that weekend BBQ you look forward to with the crew, only this involves the crew competing against each other in 800hp supercars sliding sideways within inches of each other, before we finish up at the grill and enjoy a much-needed burger.

At the end of the day it has and will never be about who wins the trophy, it’s about going out there and giving it your all for the spectators. Putting on the best show – that is the definition of competition day.

Have you taken part in any drifting competitions in UAE? Any motivational tips for drivers taking part? 

The Drift UAE championship is what we compete in every year. I would say to compete in any championship around the world, make sure you have a passion for drifting as well as the lifestyle, it’s never solely about winning an event, you will always be a winner competing. This is the mentality I would advise to adopt.

What drew you to CampaignForChange? Why did you want to get involved?

Ray-Ban has always been a brand I represent on and off the track as well as the stage, it is a brand that fits in with my lifestyle, I think my lifestyle represents what the brand is about as well, that being said, it was a no brainer for me to team up with them on this great campaign, especially when I was asked to just be me and do what I do, I am and forever will be about teaming up with rooted organic brands.

Are there other ambassadors? Can you explain a little about their involvement? 

The handpicked Ray-Ban ambassadors are involved in some exciting initiatives that communicate directly to those individuals who appreciate creativity and individualism in whatever they do – whether that might be music, art or fashion.

Also in the UAE, traditional Arabic Musician, Kamal Musallam and Electronic DJ, Mostyn Rischmueller aka Megadon Betamax have collaborated to produce an unexpected, refreshing sound. The track will definitely be on repeat in my car!

How can other people get involved in the campaign? 

Everyone is invited to sign-up to the Order of Never Hide community, create their #Campaign4Change and get their message out to the world for a chance to win a once in a lifetime trip to New-York.

Contest winners will be celebrated at an exclusive Ray-Ban party in New-York in October and their #campaign4change will be projected at Time Square during the same day. Visit Ray-Ban.com to enter and share your #Campaign4Change.