News

{JULY 2014}
Hot List

1
TERRIBLE TWOS

According to Common Sense Media, mobile device users are growing younger by the year. In 2011, 10% of American kids under the age of 2 had used a mobile device. Now, that’s grown to 38%.

2
TEENS: LEADERS OF THE PACK

“It’s important for marketers to understand what’s happening with this group because these are the future consumers. The trends that emerge from what the youngest consumers are doing tend to spread to the broader population.”

— Joe Kessler, president of the Intelligence Group

Source: “Teens And Tech: Why Marketers Should Follow Their Lead” by Dina Gerdeman via CMO.com

3
NOT JUST BROWSING

Looks like it’s time to give your website a once-over. A recently released report from Piper Jaffray revealed that the number of teens who prefer to shop online is on the rise.

4
TRENDS TO STEAL

The leading teen looks being co-opted by adults for Summer 2014 include:

Crop Tops

Logo Tops

Capris

Vests

Hoodies

Track Jackets

Neon

Slip-on Sneakers

No word yet on how long those looks will still be considered “cool” now that mom is wearing them.

Source: Huffington Post Canada

Study Shows Adequate Supply of Eye Docs

a study to determine future eye healthcare workforce needs has concluded that although the demand will grow significantly between now and 2025, the number of ophthalmologists and optometrists available will be sufficient to meet the changing needs of the U.S. population.

The study found that, should every eye doctor work to full capacity (increase their patient load by 32 percent, or 19.8 patients per week), there might even be an excess supply of doctors versus demand over the next 10 years.

The study—The National Eye Care Workforce Study launched jointly by the American Optometric Association (AOA) and the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO)—determined that the demands for optometric service will grow in size and scope (due to an aging population, an increase in Type 2 diabetes, and health insurance expansion), but that optometrists can handle it with increased productivity.

The trend of O.D.s providing an increasing number of medically necessary eyecare services was found to correlate with projections for an increasing demand for these services.

In an interview with Eyecare Business, Steve Loomis, O.D., vice president of the AOA Board of Trustees, says the increasing medical role of optometry will result in an increasing role of support positions as well.

“The growth in demand will be in the medical arena, and the good thing is that we are going to be there to deliver the care to the public,” he says. “So it makes sense that you’re going to see optometry assume and larger role in medical eye care, as we have done over the past 20 years. And I would even extend that to include optometric technicians, assistants, and opticians. There will be a greater role for them in the optometrist’s practice in order for the optometrist to be as efficient as he or she needs to be.”

For a more complete look at the study’s findings, see EB’s news section at eyecarebusiness.com.

Copies of the study are available at aoa.org/marketplace.

Going Social Gets Easy

Williams Group has launched wgsocial, a comprehensive social media solution for independently owned optometry practices. Designed to make practices more successful and productive, wgsocial sets up social media profiles, crafts content for various platforms, and develops strategies to engage and grow a practice’s Internet following.

All content from wgsocial is built to play on current social media trends, making it interactive and shareable. Every weekday, practices receive content to post and connect with their audience. With so many fresh posts, ideas, and tips provided by wgsocial, ECPs can effortlessly build an engaged online community.

To further boost the online visibility of each practice, wgsocial will also create a practice blog with a custom URL and regularly updated content cross-posted to the practice’s social media pages. Each blog is optimized to appear higher in search engine results and experience higher click-through rates. The social media channels handled by wgsocial include Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

INFO: wgsocial.com

The Vision Council’s Greene to Retire

Ed Greene

Industry veteran Ed Greene, CEO of The Vision Council, has announced that he will retire in late 2014 after nearly eight years at the helm of the organization.

According to The Vision Council, under Greene’s leadership the association has seen an unprecedented increase in membership, growing from almost 250 member companies to more than 750.

He has overseen a complete rebranding of the organization, formerly known as the Vision Council of America (VCA), and extended consumer outreach for the industry.

Since Greene began his role at The Vision Council in September of 2006, he has facilitated mergers with the Sunglass Association of America (SAA), European Sunglass Association (ESA), Optical Laboratories Association (OLA), and California Optical Lab Association (COLA), and has built new and long-lasting relationships with all partner associations, in addition to overseeing the annual International Vision Expo events, which the organization co-owns.

Greene’s 30-year career in the industry included roles at Schott Glass, Coburn Optical, Titmus Optical, and Carl Zeiss Optical, Inc. Prior to the merger of the Vision Industry Council of America (VICA) and the Optical Manufacturers Association which created VCA, he served as VICA’s president.

The Vision Council is conducting a thorough search to select a new CEO. Inquiries may be sent to Donna Jones at djones@thevisioncouncil.org or 703-548-6782.

WORLD SIGHT DAY CHALLENGE BEGINS

Optometry Giving Sight invites all members of the global eye care community to take the World Sight Day Challenge, happening throughout September and October 2014. Registration has begun.

Now in its seventh year, the World Sight Day Challenge is the largest annual global fund-raising campaign to address avoidable blindness caused by uncorrected refractive error—the need for an eye exam and glasses.

The campaign has set a fund-raising target of $1 million in 2014 and will once again build on the concept of strength in numbers.

Participating is easy and can be as creative as you like. Simply make a fund-raising pledge, or a monthly or annual donation on or before World Sight Day, Oct. 9. Optometry practices and optical companies can also be creative and engage patients, customers, and employees with fund-raising events throughout the Challenge period.

INFO: givingsight.org, 888-OGS-GIVE.

On the Town

A where and when of the latest industry events

COUNTRY STRONG

The CMA Music Festival took place recently in Nashville, and once again Transitions Optical, Inc., and VisionWorks were there to spread the word about Transitions Adaptive Lenses and the importance of eye exams. Transitions Ambassador Darius Rucker was also a featured performer at the festival.

Representatives from Transitions Optical and VisionWorks perform vision screenings for visitors to the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, and hand out Transitions Signature trial decals

FASHIONABLE GLASS

At her Resort Collection preview, Diane von Furstenberg and Marchon presented the first fashion-branded take on Google Glass. Members of the press were treated to a peek at the designer’s latest looks while sporting the Glass in sun and Rx versions at the DVF headquarters in New York’s Meatpacking District. The limited edition DVF/Made for Glass collection is being sold at google.com/glass and at net-a-porter.com.

Left: Marchon’s Leslie Muller (l) and Mark Ginsberg (r) with VSP’s Kate Renwick-Espinosa (c) at the launch event.
Right: Diane von Furstenberg sports her own Google Glass sunwear design

ROAD WARRIORS

Safilo hit the road to shoot its latest campaign—the new Carrera Spring/Summer 2014 global ad campaign. The images are going to be featured as part of Safilo’s P.O.P. offerings and will also appear on billboards in the Miami market.

Carrera styles Champion (l) and CA 6000 star in Safilo’s campaign for the new Carrera Icons collection

FUN IN THE SUN

Tommy Bahama joined in the Pacific surf fun at the Santa Monica Pier Paddleboard Race in California with a product-centric tent as well as prize packages to event attendees. Each prize package included Altair’s Tommy Bahama sunglasses.

Tommy Bahama marketing director Eric Karp awards the first set of paddleboard winners at the Santa Monica Pier Paddleboard Race.

IN SERVICE

REM Eyewear supported John Varvatos’ 11th Annual Stuart House Benefit, held outside his boutique on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, CA. Stuart House is a program of the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA medical center serving sexually abused children. The star-studded event featured a concert and auction.

Attending John Varvatos’ Stuart House Benefit are (l to r)True Blood’s Joe Maginello and REM Eyewear’s creative director Nicolas Roseillier

CITY GIRL

Chloe opened a new boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City. The event featured the round and super glam Carlina sunglass by Marchon and Manhattan’s movers and shakers.

Carlina sunglasses line the newest Chloe shop in NYC

FYI

News bits from the industry

{PEOPLE}

Brad Main is the new education and training manager at Rochester Optical laboratory. Main is an ophthalmic lens specialist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Previously, he was with Adlens for a year, and was with HOYA Vision Care of North American for 13 years.

Schneider Optical Machines announces the addition of John Haigh as sales manager for the Western U.S. region and Canada, and Nic Kane as product manager-consumables. Haigh has 23 years of experience in the industry and is former co-owner of J&J Optical, Inc., optical laboratory. Kane had previously started two companies in the optical industry.

Jennifer Kammes is the new marketing coordinator for Super Systems Optical Technologies with the task of growing brand awareness for the company’s Fast Grind system.

{GOOD DEEDS}

The employees of Vision-Ease Lens smashed their annual March food drive record this year, collecting 160 percent more pounds of food and 475 percent more cash donations than in 2013. Part of their fundraising efforts was a root beer float sale in the office. The company’s two Minnesota locations collected a total of 532 pounds of food and raised $575.

Marchon Eyewear and Nike have teamed up to develop a new children’s eye health project, known as “We See,” which aims to reduce visual impairment in South African children by 90 percent. The project will also promote eye health care and set up screenings for children who may have visual issues.

{BUSINESS UPDATES}

Shamir Insight, Inc., announces that its most advanced freeform design, Autograph III, has moved into VSP’s ‘N’ category. The ‘N’ category provides the highest reimbursement for ECPs.

{AWARDS}

Larry Somrack, president of NSL Analytical Services, Inc., was presented the Robert B. Cummings Distinguished Leadership Award at the Cleveland Technical Societies Council’s (CTSC) 68th Annual Scholarship and Achievement Awards banquet.

1. Jennifer Kammes, Super Systems Optical; 2. Brad Main, Rochester Optical; 3. John Haigh, Schneider Optical Machines; 4, A root beer float sale plays a role in Vision-Ease’s Food Share drive.; 5. Nic Kane, Schneider Optical Machines; 6. NSL Analytical Services’ Larry Somrack (l) and Doug Adams of the CTSC.

FOSTER GRANT IS 85

One of the longest-lived American sunglass companies, Foster Grant, is celebrating its 85th anniversary. The company’s story begins in 1929, when Sam Foster is said to have introduced sunglasses to America by selling the first pair on the boardwalk in Atlantic City.

In the 1960s, Foster Grant catapulted to fame with an advertising campaign, “Who’s That Behind Those Foster Grants?” featuring iconic Hollywood celebrities such as Raquel Welch, Anthony Quinn, and Mia Farrow. Advertising Age named it one of the Top 100 Ad Campaigns of all time. Pop and film stars quickly adopted the habit of wearing sunglasses as part of their image—and the masses immediately followed. Thus began the correlation between wearing sunglasses and “being cool.” Sunglasses became a popular culture fashion icon and are now synonymous with being stylish and chic.

Today, Brooke Shields is the face of the brand, and Foster Grant remains one of the top-selling brands of sunglasses in the world.

Puzzle
Game On
DISPENSING CHILDREN’S EYEWEAR

{WORD SEARCH}

Dispensing children’s eyewear can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. It’s important to first consider the prescription—and the safety of the child—before making final frame and lens decisions. Likewise, it’s a good idea to talk to parents about having a backup pair of glasses, especially if the lens power is significant. Try to find all of the terms in this puzzle related to fitting children with corrective eyewear.

— Jenean Carlton, BA, ABOC, NCLC

WORD BANK

Bridge

Fit

Cables

Colorful

Compliance

Hypoallergenic materials

Metal

Parents

Photochromics

Plastic

Polycarbonate

Prescription

Prescription sunglasses

Properly adjusted

Safety

Scratch resistance

Shatterproof

Sports goggles

Spring hinges

Straps

Temple length

Trendy

Trivex

Tweens

UV protection

Warranties

{SOLUTION}

The answers to the June 2014 Word Search