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7 DAYS facebook.com/opticianonline Ted Lasso director creates Specsavers advert Ted Lasso and Father Ted director Declan Lowney directed Specsavers’ latest ‘Should’ve’ TV adver t campaign, which will initially run for eight weeks from Februar y 2. placements at London Waterloo Station’s big motion billboard, as well as bus shelters, petrol pumps, shopping centres and motorways. The adver t featured couple Greg and Ella at an airpor t getting ready to go on holiday, with Ella checking in smoothly, while Greg is delayed by a series of tense scenarios. In the final scene, Ella peers from her aircraft por thole to see Greg scaling a stand-alone set of passenger boarding stairs on the runway – begging the question whether he should have gone to Specsavers. The campaign was suppor ted by cinema, video, social and out of home Lowney said: ‘Specsavers has managed to achieve that rare feat of creating its own distinctive brand of humour. Their work has a comedy voice of its own so my role was to get the best out of the script and maximise the laughs. Telling a stor y purely with images, along with humour and wit, was right up my runway.’ Optometry Day on March 23. WCO aimed to highlight the ongoing work by optometrists across the globe to improve equitable access to eye care and promote Integrated People-Centered Eye Care (IPEC), in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2019 World Report on Vision. ‘I am encouraged to see how optometry is embracing the need to address the large burden of preventable vision impairment,’ said WCO president Dr Sandra Block. ‘We continue to educate patients as well as stakeholders who understand the importance of access to quality eye care. Optometry has taken a leadership role in addressing the many challenges.’ Optometrists were encouraged to promote the event through World Optometry Week social media resources and an ‘Advocacy to action’ toolkit, developed by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). Inspecs partners with Eastman Inspecs’ new eyewear brand Botaniq partnered with Eastman on its spring/summer 2024 collection, featuring frames made from Eastman acetate renew and sun lenses with Tritan renew. Tritan renew lenses were made with 50% certified recycled content and Acetate renew frames comprised 70% responsible con- Inspecs’ Botaniq frames tent (28% recycled and 42% responsible). Molecular recycling technologies were applied to make Eastman’s Renew circular solutions, using hard-to-recycle waste to produce durable materials with a high percentage of recycled content. The brand said the ISCCcertified collection featured a lively palette of bold shapes and vivid colours inspired by the beauty of nature. All recyclable packaging can be folded flat for efficient shipping, the company sends used frames to Terracycle recycling and it also pledged to plant a tree for every frame sold. Marcolin and Christian Louboutin partnership Marcolin announced signing an exclusive global licensing agreement for the design, manufacture and distribution of luxury brand Christian Louboutin’s first Christian Louboutin enters the eyewear sector eyewear collection. ‘We are extremely proud that such a prestigious and globally appreciated brand like Christian Louboutin has chosen us to make its debut in the eyewear industry,’ said Marcolin CEO and general manager Fabrizio Curci. Christian Louboutin CEO Alexis Mourot added that Marcolin shared ‘the same vision for creating objects of desire of an outstanding quality and instantly recognisable creativity’. The first collections will be distributed in spring/summer 2025 through selected stores worldwide. Marcolin also announced renewing its licensing agreement with fashion brand Max&co for the design, manufacture and distribution of its sunglasses and optical frames until 2030. Safilo’s preliminar y 2023 financial results Italian eyewear company Safilo’s preliminary 2023 results revealed net sales of €1,023.9m, down 2.4% at constant exchange rates, compared to €1,076.7m in 2022. Fourth quarter net sales for 2023 totalled €238.7m, equal to growth at constant exchange rates of 1.7% – marking the best performance of the year, according to the company. Revenues for the year were close to those recorded in 2022, despite continued weakness of the North American market and a 60% drop in revenues recorded in the GrandVision chains. Organic sales increased by 1.6% thanks to high performing home brands growing to 44% of sales, including Carrera, Polaroid and Blenders with excellent development also reported for Smith’s direct-to-consumer channel. Licensed brands Boss and Tommy Hilfiger were referenced for boosting results, together with the more recent partnerships, Carolina Herrera and David Beckham. Correction In the ‘Sky High Accessibility’ story published in Showcase in the February 2, 2024 issue of Optician, the website address for Optinet was incorrect. Details on Nova and other Optinet products can be found at optinetuk.com. Optician apologises for any confusion caused. 6 OPTICIAN 9 Februar y 2024 opticianonline.net
page 7
Twitter @opticianonline IN FOCUS rivate and entrepreneurial sectors can play a key role in addressing the lack of access to spectacles for over a billion people, according to a new report commissioned by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). Improving vision for the bottom billion P A new IAPB report explains the issues that inhibit eye care on a global scale. Emma White reports Glasses for All: Improving Supply to the Poorest by Frontier Economics reported that a billion people, 90% from low and middle-income countries (LMICs), were living with vision impairment, mainly from untreated refractive error and presbyopia. With an abundant supply of existing research into ‘demandside’ issues, including lack of diagnosis, affordability and lack of awareness, the study instead addressed ‘supply-side’ issues and whether firms and supply chains were functioning well enough to ensure an efficient, cost-effective supply of frames. SUPPLY CHAIN BARRIERS Often-overlooked supply side barriers, including inefficient supply chains and outdated regulations, were highlighted in the report due to preventing many people in LMICs from obtaining affordable, quality frames. While the study focused on LMICs in general, it conducted three country ‘deep dives’ in India, Nigeria and Mexico in order to illustrate how market characteristics vary from country to country. Peter Holland, chief executive of IAPB, said: ‘While much attention in recent years has been paid to raising awareness and providing eye exams, this report argues that, as well as continuing this important work, the private and entrepreneurial sectors can play a critical role in reaching the billion people who don’t have access to glasses. ‘But to do so we need to address Nearly a billion people in low and middle-income countries are living with vision impairment systemic issues within the supply chain of glasses as a crucial step to reaching those in greatest need.’ The report recommended exploring alternative models to address the strict regulations surrounding who can prescribe and sell frames leading to inflated costs and limited access. It suggested gathering relevant medical and related evidence to understand whether the role of optometrists and ophthalmologists could be changed to allow more flexible retail models to be developed. For example, it suggested that trained technicians could be allowed to sell mass-produced spectacles for simple refractive errors, under the guidance of medical professionals, which could benefit ‘up to 80% of the underserved population’. INEFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION Fragmented supply chains, including lack of competition, inefficient distribution and high import tariffs could be addressed by ‘leveraging the entrepreneurial spirit of the informal sector,’ optimising distribution networks and reducing import barriers to drive down prices, it said. Many small businesses in LMICs also lack the support and financing to develop and invest in inventory and expand their reach, the report stated. It encouraged governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to work together to support the development of entrepreneurial providers, including developing accessible financing options. Sumrana Yasmin, deputy technical director – Eye health and URE at Sightsavers, said that while the report highlighted a broken vision system in developing countries, it also provided ‘hope’. ‘This new report reveals a broken vision system, where outdated regulations, a fragmented supply chain and limited access to finance keep affordable glasses out of reach for millions. But there’s hope. ‘By empowering trained technicians, streamlining distribution, and fostering local enterprise, we can unlock 80% of the market, ensuring clear sight for all,’ she said. IAPB and others in the eye health sector had a crucial role in implementing the report’s recommendations, according to the authors. Namely, they should advocate for regulatory reform by lobbying for changes to regulations governing the sale of frames, including expanding the scope of qualified personnel and simplifying prescription requirements. Supporting new business models could be achieved by developing innovative approaches to supply and distribution through regional hubs and partnerships with the informal sector. Also, by collaborating with governments and financial institutions to provide funding opportunities and technical assistance to entrepreneurs in the eyewear industry. IAPB and the wider eye health sector were also urged to work to reduce import tariffs and customs frictions to reduce the costs on imports. The report concluded that fulfilling these recommendations would help to create an efficient, consumer-orientated market. ‘There is no doubt that demandside measures continue to be important. The evidence presented here suggests that more focus on supply-side changes would help in meeting the needs of those on lower incomes impaired by poor vision,’ it said. James Chen, philanthropist and IAPB global ambassador, welcomed the findings: ‘By addressing these supply-side challenges, we can unlock the potential for a more efficient, consumer-oriented market for glasses, ensuring that everyone, regardless of income, has access to the vision care they need to lead a productive and fulfilling life,’ he said. • opticianonline.net 9 Februar y 2024 OPTICIAN 7

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7 DAYS

facebook.com/opticianonline

Ted Lasso director creates Specsavers advert Ted Lasso and Father Ted director Declan Lowney directed Specsavers’ latest ‘Should’ve’ TV adver t campaign, which will initially run for eight weeks from Februar y 2.

placements at London Waterloo Station’s big motion billboard, as well as bus shelters, petrol pumps, shopping centres and motorways.

The adver t featured couple Greg and Ella at an airpor t getting ready to go on holiday, with Ella checking in smoothly, while Greg is delayed by a series of tense scenarios.

In the final scene, Ella peers from her aircraft por thole to see Greg scaling a stand-alone set of passenger boarding stairs on the runway – begging the question whether he should have gone to Specsavers.

The campaign was suppor ted by cinema, video, social and out of home

Lowney said: ‘Specsavers has managed to achieve that rare feat of creating its own distinctive brand of humour. Their work has a comedy voice of its own so my role was to get the best out of the script and maximise the laughs. Telling a stor y purely with images, along with humour and wit, was right up my runway.’

Optometry Day on March 23. WCO aimed to highlight the ongoing work by optometrists across the globe to improve equitable access to eye care and promote Integrated People-Centered Eye Care (IPEC), in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2019 World Report on Vision.

‘I am encouraged to see how optometry is embracing the need to address the large burden of preventable vision impairment,’ said WCO president Dr Sandra Block. ‘We continue to educate patients as well as stakeholders who understand the importance of access to quality eye care. Optometry has taken a leadership role in addressing the many challenges.’

Optometrists were encouraged to promote the event through World Optometry Week social media resources and an ‘Advocacy to action’ toolkit, developed by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

Inspecs partners with Eastman Inspecs’ new eyewear brand Botaniq partnered with Eastman on its spring/summer 2024 collection, featuring frames made from Eastman acetate renew and sun lenses with Tritan renew.

Tritan renew lenses were made with 50% certified recycled content and Acetate renew frames comprised 70% responsible con-

Inspecs’ Botaniq frames tent (28% recycled and 42% responsible). Molecular recycling technologies were applied to make Eastman’s Renew circular solutions, using hard-to-recycle waste to produce durable materials with a high percentage of recycled content.

The brand said the ISCCcertified collection featured a lively palette of bold shapes and vivid colours inspired by the beauty of nature.

All recyclable packaging can be folded flat for efficient shipping, the company sends used frames to Terracycle recycling and it also pledged to plant a tree for every frame sold.

Marcolin and Christian Louboutin partnership Marcolin announced signing an exclusive global licensing agreement for the design, manufacture and distribution of luxury brand Christian Louboutin’s first

Christian Louboutin enters the eyewear sector eyewear collection.

‘We are extremely proud that such a prestigious and globally appreciated brand like Christian Louboutin has chosen us to make its debut in the eyewear industry,’ said Marcolin CEO and general manager Fabrizio Curci.

Christian Louboutin CEO Alexis Mourot added that Marcolin shared ‘the same vision for creating objects of desire of an outstanding quality and instantly recognisable creativity’.

The first collections will be distributed in spring/summer 2025 through selected stores worldwide. Marcolin also announced renewing its licensing agreement with fashion brand Max&co for the design, manufacture and distribution of its sunglasses and optical frames until 2030.

Safilo’s preliminar y 2023 financial results Italian eyewear company Safilo’s preliminary 2023 results revealed net sales of €1,023.9m, down 2.4% at constant exchange rates, compared to €1,076.7m in 2022.

Fourth quarter net sales for 2023 totalled €238.7m, equal to growth at constant exchange rates of 1.7% – marking the best performance of the year, according to the company.

Revenues for the year were close to those recorded in 2022, despite continued weakness of the North American market and a 60% drop in revenues recorded in the GrandVision chains.

Organic sales increased by 1.6% thanks to high performing home brands growing to 44% of sales, including Carrera, Polaroid and Blenders with excellent development also reported for Smith’s direct-to-consumer channel.

Licensed brands Boss and Tommy Hilfiger were referenced for boosting results, together with the more recent partnerships, Carolina Herrera and David Beckham.

Correction In the ‘Sky High Accessibility’ story published in Showcase in the February 2, 2024 issue of Optician, the website address for Optinet was incorrect. Details on Nova and other Optinet products can be found at optinetuk.com. Optician apologises for any confusion caused.

6 OPTICIAN 9 Februar y 2024

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