marketing matters

Mixing Art and Optical

Erinn Morgan

It was a promotional idea born out of the need for change. “I was talking to one of our managers about artwork that had been hanging in the store for 10 years,” says Marilyn Frank, director of marketing at Spex, a chain of 13 high-end optical shops in Chicago. “He said ‘We're so tired of looking at it. Can we change it?’”

This conversation got the marketing wheels turning for Frank, an artist herself who collaborates with her husband in video, painting, sculpture, and photography. She decided to bring fresh art into the Spex stores on a regular basis through gallery opening-style art shows that would promote both the featured artist and the Spex cache of optical frames.

“I had connections in the art community and I wanted to turn this into an event to tap into our local artists,” she says. And so Spex's ART + VISION rotating micro-exhibition events were launched at the Highland Park store.

Each six-week show featuring a particular artist is kicked off with an opening reception and eyewear trunk show. The goal is to give a local artist community exposure while also boosting awareness of the Spex name and its eyewear assortment. “With marketing events, there are various ways to track successes and failures, but with ART + VISION we lean towards working on PR and good will in the community…that's really valuable,” says Frank.

Still, ART + VISION events have brought in as much as $5,000 in sales in one evening.

“People also often come in after the fact and buy,” she notes. “An event usually results in some type of additional sale, but that's not our focus. For us it's just a bonus.”

Curious how Spex has organized such a successful, innovative event series? Here, they share some of their tips for success.

Tying In Trunk Shows

Trunk shows are typically tied into ART+VISION events on the opening evening. “We don't really push sales, but people end up seeing hundreds of frames out on display and they are open to checking them out,” notes Frank. The first consideration is choosing lines that work with the artist's aesthetic. One example: pairing it with Ogi kids eyewear with artwork that was simple, kid-like, and energetic. “We try to cater things to the potential audience,” she says. Logistics include a vendor coming in to take care of the trunk show setup; about three extra staff members plus a manager on hand in addition to regular staff; and the catering of food and beverages for guests, says Frank.

Choosing Artists

While Spex does send out a call for artists in its stores' local communities, its main mode of connecting is word of mouth. “Word gets around and artists start coming in and asking if they can be a part of it,” says Frank. “Often times the artists are already customers of ours because our stores are community-based.”

Typically, Frank lets the artist decide what they are going to show, but she does give some input. “Usually they or their manager will send me the information, photo files, or website, and I'll take a look. If they have different bodies of work, I might say I think we should go with their abstract paintings or their smaller sculptures, for example,” she says.

Once the medium has been decided upon, Frank asks the artist to provide high-resolution images of their work so it can be included in event's marketing materials.

Marketing The Event

Spex begins marketing its ART + VISION events six weeks before the scheduled opening. The chain's marketing efforts include the following.

■ Posters. Store signage and flyers that are used as bag stuffers.

■ Press release. Frank composes a release that includes the artist's bio and statement, to garner the attention of local media.

“We send them out to at least 20 media contacts,” she says. “If the event is big enough—we had one with a silent auction and another with a charitable aspect to it—I also tap into my own database of business and marketing contacts and I write to those people too.”

■ Advertising. Spex may also pay for advertising in local print media for larger events.

■ Cyber marketing. ART + VISION events are also promoted via the Spex website as well as the artist's website, if they have one. Additionally, Frank sends out an email blast to customers one week prior to the event.

Show And Sell

When it comes to selling art, Spex prefers to let the artist handle all inquiries. “It's different from a gallery setting,” says Frank. “We wouldn't take a commission because it's more of a PR and marketing event for us. It's an opportunity for Spex to get a new customer through the door.”

As such, artists are encouraged to leave business cards and promotional materials for customers to look at and take home during the six weeks that their art is shown in the store.

To keep this event fresh and fun, Spex has also linked up with fashion design students from a local arts center, as well as art students from a local elementary school. EB