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printThe Vision Council > Members > Divisions > Sunglass and Reader Division > Activities
Activities
Consumer Media Outreach
Throughout the year, The Vision Council conducts consumer media outreach to promote vision care and vision care products. Members of the Sunglass & Reader Division participate in this effort through our Eyecessorize campaign.
Click here to see a listing of the latest media placements. For a selection of recent Eyecessorize media highlights, click here (23 MB).
In addition to outreach through Eyecessorize, The Vision Council is working to increase eye protection purchases by promoting the importance of year-round ultraviolet (UV) protection to consumers. In May 2012, The Vision Council unveiled a refreshed version of its existing UV protection campaign. The new Bureau of Missing Sunglasses (BOMS) concept uses humor to present the same vision health information, but is more conducive to social media, broadcast outreach and special events. BOMS deployed agents to five cities throughout the summer to issue citations to people on the street who were not protecting their eyes. The concept was well received by the public and the media. BOMS efforts continue via social media, engaging consumers on Facebook, Twitter and a blog on missingsunglasses.com.
Drawing on the success of its May 2012 UV report release, The Vision Council was able to sustain UV messages in the media in June 2012 and maintain a high level of coverage throughout the summer. Many articles were featured in widely read, long-lead publications for women, and in particular, moms of young children.
So far in 2013, key messages from The Vision Council's 2012 UV report continue to garner media coverage. During the month of January, seven articles and blogs published The Vision Council's recommended UV eye protection report, reaching nearly 17 million readers. Notable placements include She Knows, a popular health and wellness blog, Sacramento Examiner, Natural Solutions Magazine, and Clarity Optical Blog.
The Vision Council is planning for a 2013 UV index report, which will be released in the spring. The report will focus on the dangers of UV-related eye damage and new product trends. Meanwhile, key messages from the 2012 report continue to receive media attention. Published articles about sunglasses and other UV protective eyewear reached more than 650,000 readers this month. Recent top media placements include:
To learn more about The Vision Council's UV protection campaign, or to download a copy of the Finding Your Shades, Protecting Your Vision report, visit the Bureau of Missing Sunglasses at missingsunglasses.com and click here to view recent media placements.
Statement Eyewear Appears Live on NBC's "TODAY"
Statement eyewear - provided by members of The Vision Council's E&A and SRD Divisions - appeared on "TODAY" as Jenn Falik, spokesperson for the Eyecessorize eyewear fashion campaign, went over the chicest trends for spring. The segment, called "What's In," covered all aspects of fashion, but highlighted the importance of owning statement frames as a way to keep everyone's wardrobe on trend. "TODAY" is one of the most-watched morning programs, and rakes in 4.6 million viewers. For more information about the segment, and additional information about the product featured, please visit Eyecessorize.com.
Eyecessorize Spotted on Taxi TV
Throughout International Vision Expo East, a Taxi TV video aired in New York City ABC cabs from Friday, March 15, through Sunday, March 17, reaching an estimated 400,000 viewers. The video showcased footage from the fall/winter Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week featuring eyewear, as well as interviews with designers and influential people in the fashion industry discussing eyewear as a fashion accessory. The video was also played on a loop during The Vision Council's Eyecessorize consumer press event.
Eyecessorize Consumer Press Event At International Vision Expo East
At International Vision Expo East, The Vision Council hosted an exclusive consumer press event in support of the Eyecessorize campaign. On the opening day of the show, more than 40 fashion editors, reporters and bloggers-from top-tier publications like O, The Oprah Magazine, GLAMOUR, InStyle, Men's Health, Marie Claire, SELF, Travel & Leisure and Allure, just to name a few-attended the event to preview the latest products for spring, and learn about the current trends in eyewear and sunwear. The event was also covered by Better TV and NY1 television stations; the footage is set to air in the coming weeks. Frames were showcased in three general categories of colors, details and shapes, as well as new spotlight categories covering everything from mixed materials, technological innovation and limited edition collections, to new launches and international brands. In addition, attendees received a complimentary face fitting from a licensed optician, along with a pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses of their choice. The day after the event, March 16, members of The Vision Council's Board of Directors and Marcomm Committee visited the event space for a personal run-through of the products and trends.
Live From the Couch
On Tuesday, March 19, Jenn Falik, spokesperson for The Vision Council's Eyecessorize campaign, appeared on CBS' "Live From the Couch," a New York-based morning program that touches on news, lifestyle and entertainment. The segment - which aired at 7:50 a.m. and featured sunglasses from The Vision Council's Sunglass and Reader and Eyewear and Accessories Divisions - focused on the latest eyewear trends for spring, face fitting tips and the importance of protecting your eyes from UV rays year-round. Spring trends, along with images and information about the products shown on the segment, are available online at Eyecessorize.com. "Live From the Couch" reaches an estimated 1.8 to 2.5 million households each month.
Spring 2013 Eyecessorize Trend Kit
The Eyecessorize spring 2013 trend kit is complete and has been sent to hundreds of high-profile fashion and lifestyle editors nationwide. The kit-which focuses on trends interpreted from styles seen on fashion runways-prominently highlights members' product with frame images and credit information alongside trend descriptions. Additionally, the printed kit is supplemented with a thumb drive, which contains corresponding hi-res trend images pictured in the booklet, trend descriptions and a video illustrating the trends with members' product and credit information. All trend information and product images have also been uploaded to the Eyecessorize website's product database.
Vision Report in Wall Street Journal
A special vision report was issued in The Wall Street Journal's July 23 East Coast edition featuring The Vision Council. A front page advertisement on the report directed readers to The Vision Council's website to learn more about the effects of UV rays on the eyes and sunwear options.
As a result of placing this advertisement, The Vision Council was also allotted editorial space within the report. Jean Ramsey, MD, spokesperson for The Vision Council's Better Vision Institute, was interviewed for the "Ask the Expert" column on the topic of preventive vision care, including protecting eyes from UV rays.
Nearly 780,000 copies of the report hit newsstands and reached 1.8 million readers. The report was included in the "Marketplace" section, the most read section of the newspaper.
UV Protection Print PSA
In 2009, the Sunglass and Reader division created a print public service announcement (PSA) about ultra-violet (UV) protection. Aimed at women, who are typically the healthcare decision makers for the family, the PSA encourages them to shield their eyes - and their family's eyes - from harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses for maximum UV protection. The PSA directs consumers to a dedicated page on The Vision Council's website (www.thevisioncouncil.org/consumers/sunglasses) for more information.
This PSA was created as a result of the strategic planning session that was held in June 2008, following the merger of the Sunglass Association of America and The Vision Council. At that meeting, members determined that it was important to launch a UV education campaign. The ‘Healthy Eyes, Wear Sunglasses' concept was first tested with over 2,000 consumers through the VisionWatch survey. Once the concept was approved by the executive committee of the division, the marketing department of The Vision Council hosted a photo shoot in their offices using a local photographer. Many members of the division sent in product for the photo shoot.
The PSA was distributed to 5,495 print media outlets nationwide, including some local outlets. If you are interested in learning more about how to distribute the PSA in your community, please contact Maureen Beddis at mbeddis@thevisioncouncil.org or 703-740-9496.
Download a copy of the Print PSA [PDF]
Technical and Regulatory Manuals
Several federal and some state regulatory agencies have jurisdiction over the regulation of non-prescription sunglass and reading glasses, including: the FDA, Customs, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission the Department of Agriculture, as well as specific reading glass regulations for state laws in four states. In addition, there are voluntary standards that have been adopted both nationally and internationally.
The Sunglass and Reader Division Technical and Regulatory Manual was created to provide an overview of many of the regulatory matters that may impact compliance with regulations and quality standards in the production and sale of sunglasses or reading glasses.
In addition, Voluntary Lead Guidelines have also been developed by The Vision Council to provide assistance to members in the manufacture of frames and accessories.
Charitable Donations
Making optical products available to those in need is a goal shared by both The Vision Council and our members. In an effort to keep products and support flowing to charitable organizations, The Vision Council is happy to serve as the liaison between our members and charities in the optical industry.
We encourage members to contact us if they would like to donate surplus inventory or become more involved with charitable work. Donating excess inventory not only helps clean out your warehouse in preparation for the upcoming season, it also is a great way to receive a tax benefit. The Vision Council will work with both members and charities to make the transaction as easy and efficient as possible.
For more information, please contact The Vision Council's communications coordinator Lindsey Brookbank at lbrookbank@thevisioncouncil.org or (703) 740-2247.
