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Hot List: April 2010

1 TRIPPED UP

A Harris Interactive poll conducted last spring indicated how a shaky economy would impact summer vacation plans of those surveyed.

29 percent planned on decreasing the number of leisure trips they make by car

33 percent said they would take fewer plane trips for leisure

34 percent would cut the number of weekend trips they would take

35 percent would reduce the duration of their vacations

46 percent planned to reduce the amount of money they spend on vacation

2 Sun Sales

A study conducted by Weather Trends International determined how a one degree temperature increase over the previous year would impact the weekly sales of the following items:

240,000 more tubs of ice cream

90,000 more units of suncare product

2,448 more pairs of mens shorts

13,220 more cans of ant and roach spray

3 Bloomin' Bucks

According to the Society of American Florists, typical shopping patterns for greenery go like this:

Garden/outdoor plants comprise 46 percent of greenery sales

Fresh flowers account for 34 percent

House plants take 20 percent of the market

Women buy 65 percent of flowers sold

Easter and Passover mark 13 percent of holiday flower sales

4 Sweet Century

Just Born, the Pennsylvania-based creator of the popular treat Marshmallow Peeps, has had a century of success. A few landmarks:

1923
Sam Born opens a candy shop

PixelOptics
Unveils emPower! Plan

PixelOptics, Inc., has unveiled its business approach for emPower!, the company's electronic eyewear. PixelOptics will partner directly with select manufacturers, distributors, and technology developers, and a regional emPower! launch is anticipated in late 2010 with a national roll-out in 2011.

“Our company is dedicated to pursuing advances in lens and eyewear technology that will continue to benefit wearers and the optical industry for years to come,” commented Ronald Blum, OD, chairman and CEO of PixelOptics.

Panasonic Shikoku Electronics Co., Ltd., the healthcare arm of Panasonic Corporation, has been collaborating with PixelOptics for the past two years.

Aspex Eyewear has been licensed to have North American exclusivity to manufacture, sell, and distribute electronic eyeglass frames that enable and activate emPower! lenses. All laboratories equipped with Shamir Optical Industry, Ltd.'s Prescriptor software will make Prescriptor with emPower! back surface optical design. Transitions Optical, Inc., and PixelOptics are currently developing technology that will lead to a Transitions version of photochromic emPower! lenses.

Protected by more than 300 issued patents with patent applications pending, emPower! technology aims to correct presbyopia and other visual disorders while reducing distortion and improving zone width and clarity.

Good Idea

Optician Goes Green With Advertising

Richard Homeier, master optician and owner of Optical Perspectives in Estes Park, Colo., has an electronic vehicle that doubles as a moving billboard.

“I've been parking it in the middle of our front parking lot, and people who aren't even regular customers come in to comment or ask about it,” he says.

It's practical, too: “I drive it back and forth to work, about 3.5 miles each way, and run errands in it. It's fun, and generates lots of smiles.”

Above (l to r): Carl Bracy of Essilor, Ken Stellmacher of VSP, Barry Barresi, OD, PhD, of the Foundation for Eye Health Awareness, Mike Daley of The Foundation for Eye Health Awareness, John Carrier of Essilor, and Wally Lovejoy of Luxottica

FEHA and TAYE

Merge Awareness Messages

The Foundation for Eye Health Awareness and the Think About Your Eyes Coalition (a joint effort among Essilor, Luxottica, and VSP Global) have signed a letter of intent to integrate their public awareness eye health messages.

“There have been too many messages out to the public. They're confused,” Barry Barresi, OD, PhD, chairman of the board of directors for The Foundation of Eye Health Awareness, said at a press event held during International Vision Expo East.

An estimated 30 million Americans are at high risk for losing their vision, Barresi noted, adding: “There are a lot of folks not showing up for their vision care.”

A radio/television advertising campaign will launch in nine markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Cinncinati, Sacramento, Calif, and Portland, Ore. The campaign was test marketed in Fort Worth, Texas.

Interested potential partners should contact Mike Daley, president and executive director of The Foundation for Eye Health Awareness, at mdaley@ehafoundation.org.

Transitions and FTC Ink Business Practices AGREEMENT

Transitions Optical and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission have agreed to resolve the FTC's investigation into certain Transitions business practices.

The FTC has been investigating anti-trust implications of certain Transitions business practices since early 2009, specifically exclusive or preferred customer relationships.

The agreement, signed on March 2, 2010, includes no admission of wrongdoing on Transitions' part and contains no fines or financial penalties.

The provisions of the agreement are intended to foster competition and transparency in the eyewear industry, specifically as it applies to Transitions photochromic prescription lenses (not including plano sunwear). The FTC has voted unanimously to approve the proposed settlement.

Transitions will be reviewing each customer contract to determine whether changes need to be made. Some Transitions business practices will change.

These include:

1. No entry into exclusive agreements with manufacturers, with new restrictions on discounts.

2. Provisions regarding exclusive/preferred agreements and discounts with optical labs and retailers depending on each entity's individual contract with Transitions.

3. Basic changes in the 2010 Laboratory Co-op Program.

The proposed settlement will have no affect on the quality or availability of Transitions lenses.

Transitions customers should contact their Transitions account manager with questions.

Transitions has also established the website transitionsagreement.com to serve as a resource. For more information about Transitions, visit transitions.com.

Web Watch

Essilor of America, Inc., has enhanced two of its product's websites, the Varilux website at www.variluxusa.com and the Essilor 360° website at www.essilor360.com. The company reports that the two sites now offer more robust information.

Maui Jim plano and prescription sunwear is available to order through a new prescription sunwear ordering feature on Eyefinity's eBuy. Additional frame partners are expected to be added for prescription sunwear later this year.

Viva International Group launched a redesigned interactive website, www.vivagroup.com, which features site developments and upgrades. International account access will roll out in the first quarter of 2011.

SynergEyes, Inc., has launched a new staff training program on www.FitSynergEyes.com, a website dedicated to practitioner and staff education and training.

The Silhouette Virtual Mirror, an online feature that allows patients to virtually try on Silhouette eyewear, is now available as a free iPhone/iPod Touch app at www.silhouette.com.

Consumers, distributors, and retailers can now purchase Clarity Defog It anti-fog direct from Nanofilm at nanofilmproducts.com, the new web home of the high-performance anti-fog towelettes and liquid.

Lighthouse International is launching a new website that features the first customizable, low-vision simulator that shows how a person with an eye disease sees the world. The website is lighthouse.org/donate-volunteer/vision-simulator.

License Lineup

Charmant Group and Trussardi have signed a license agreement for Charmant to produce and distribute Trussardi optical frames and sunglasses, from Spring/Summer 2011.

Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc., and the Marcolin Group will renew their licensing agreement for production and distribution of prescription frames and sunglasses under the Kenneth Cole New York and Kenneth Cole Reaction labels through 2014.

MDG, a sunglass collection designed by Madonna in collaboration with Dolce&Gabbana, will launch in May and be manufactured by Luxottica.

MDG by Luxottica will debut in May

On The Town

The Carrera ski racing team won a total of five gold medals and four bronze medals at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Top athletes included Simon Ammann and Carlo Janka of Switzerland; Austrians Gregor Schlierenzauer, Thomas Morgenstern, Wolfgang Loitzl, Andreas Kofler, Elisabeth Goergl, and Andrea Fischbacher; and skier Anja Paerson of Sweden, who prevailed despite a nasty fall on the track. Safilo produces the Carrera Eyewear collection.

Alain Mikli hosted a gathering at its 986 Madison Ave., Manhattan, boutique. The reception invited guests to indulge in refreshments, salsa music, and the latest styles of Alain Mikli eyewear.

ClearVision Optical hosted a reception and auction at its office's gallery featuring work by artists with disabilities who participate in the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Suffolk's Brushstrokes Program.

1. Carrera's Olympics ski racing team includes Anja Paerson
2. Carlo Janka also joins Carrerra's ski racing team
3, 4, 5. Alain Mikli's store at 986 Madison Ave. celebrates the latest collection showing product highlights from the French designer
6. Alain Mikli's Sophie Raubiet and Sean Lalloway greet guests
7. A salsa band entertains at Alain Mikli
8. ClearVision Optical's David Friedfeld and Stephen H. Friedman of UCP of Suffolk raise funds and awareness at the reception featuring artwork from the UCP's Brushstrokes Program
9. Attendees enjoy art and refreshments at ClearVision Optical 10. Sheila Haile and Jen Coppel of ClearVision share a laugh

STAR Gazers

1. Sarah Jessica Parker struck gold in the acting biz with her turn as Carrie Bradshaw in HBO's “Sex and the City.” In the sequel to the big screen adaptation, due for release in May, Parker appropriately dons Mykita/Bernhard Willhelm Franz sunglasses in—what else?—gold.

2. Samuel L Jackson, the critically acclaimed and Academy Award-nominated actor who starred in “Patriot Games,” “Pulp Fiction,” and more, is cast in the Sundance Film Festival drama, “Mother and Child,” wearing Cole Haan 975 glasses by ClearVision Optical. Portraying an interrogator who attempts to locate several nuclear weapons, Jackson sports the retro-styled, semi-rimless frames.

3. With her high-velocity career, it's no wonder performer Rihanna is wearing iconic sports eyewear. The songstress rocks the Carrera sunglass model Endurance by Safilo in her music video for the song “Rude Boy” from her album “Rated R.”

4. “High School Musical” star Zac Efron keeps an eye on his peeps in sunglass style OP Daddy B by Oliver Peoples.

5. “Twilight” starlet Ashley Greene isn't afraid to face the sun. The actress shields her green peepers with Emilio Pucci style ES630S by Marchon.