Jul
2003

Upfront

Exclusive Club Man
Looking for any excuse to run a picture of the classic Clubman frame, 20/20 wishes a prosperous 85th anniversary to ArtCraft New York. Founded in 1918 as Design Manufacturing Co., the company started out producing tools, parts and frames for other manufacturers. In 1929 it narrowed its focus to just spectacle frames and changed its name to ArtCraft Optical Co., Inc. During the ’20s and early ’30s, ArtCraft manufactured mostly gold-filled frames. As production increased, the company needed larger quarters. In 1934, ArtCraft re-located its growing operations to a multi-story 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in downtown Rochester, N.Y. By the ’50s, styles had changed. Metal was being combined with acetate to create combination frames. ArtCraft delivered with its Clubman Art-Rim, a style for men that has sold over one million units. Every decade brought progress and change to the company. In the ’90s, ArtCraft further diversified creating its U.S.A. Workforce Division of prescription industrial eyewear. By the end of the century, ArtCraft relocated to a “completely modern facility,” according to Tom Eagle, CEO and owner of ArtCraft, changing its name to ArtCraft New York. Eagle says, “Since I joined the company in the late ’50s, a lot has changed and continues to change as we adjust to market swings and demands. Becoming an 85-year-old company feels good. To me, it means that we’ve stayed vital and responsive to our industry and customers through every generation. We improve this company every day and we’re always looking at tomorrow. Right now, we’re making plans for the last part of our first 100 years.”  —James J. Spina

Angel Eyes
Lucy Liu with my girl, Drew and Cameron D. are all sporting Ray-Ban shades in the hot summer flick “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” which hit theaters on June 27th. In conjunction with the movie, the Luxottica brand is promoting three styles that represent the spirit of each angel.

The Ray-Ban Predator Raider embodies the rebellious essence of Drew Barrymore’s Dylan with its streamlined butterfly shape. Rituals’ striking style and feminine shape is indicative of Cameron Diaz’s Natalie. And the Top Bar Oval reflects the technical savvy of Lucy Liu’s Alex with aerodynamic temples fitted with Hytrel and flash mirror lenses.

From “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” to “Risky Business” to “Men in Black,” Ray-Ban has been a fixture at the movies… this “feel good time” film continues that “shady” tradition.   —Jackie Micucci
Dynamic Trio. Ray-Ban Predator Raider style RB 4014, color 601; Rituals style RB 4018, color 637/13; and Top Bar Oval style RB 3179, color 003/Z1.

Charlie, how your Angels get down like that. Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu get down in Ray-Ban sunwear in “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.”


Every month 20/20 features the hottest stars in the hottest eyewear fashions. This month, in addition to our usual celebrity packed Hall of Frames, we shine the spotlight on some of Tinseltown’s next generation of talented and spec-savvy stars in looks from Marchon.

Not the boss of me. 1. Frankie Muniz, star of Fox’s “Malcolm in the Middle,” in Nautica style 8012, color 207… What Girls Want. The ever-outrageous 2. Kelly Osbourne of MTV’s reality TV hit “The Osbournes” in Fendi style FS262 in metallic clear. Also in Fendi, 3. Amanda Bynes of the WB’s “What I Like About You” wears style 560 in mink… Spied. 4. Evan Sabara one of the young stars of “Spy Kids” and “Spy Kids II: Island of Lost Dreams,” sports Flexon Kids style 91, color 130… Singing siblings. 5. Aaron Carter, younger brother of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, wears Nike style 4600, color 444. He recently released his fourth album “Another Earthquake.” Britney Spears’ kid sister, 6. Jamie Lynn Spears, wears Disney style 89 in cinnamon. The younger Spears stars in Nickelodeon’s “All That,” a comedy/musical performance show… Teen idols. N’Sync’s 7. Justin Timberlake recently went solo with his album “Justified” and is now on tour with Christina Aguilera. The heartthrob sports Calvin Klein style 532 in silver. “The Lord of the Rings” star 8. Elijah Wood in Nike style 4600, color 220. Wood is set to appear in the movie franchise’s third installation “The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King” later this year. 9. Jessica Alba, formerly of Fox’s “Dark Angel,” wears cK style 1033, color 145. Alba plays the title role in the soon-to-be-released movie “Honey.” —JM


Boom Boom
Excitement (and curiosity) for Moja Design’s Boom by Atom eyewear collection and its marketing scheme continues to grow. Word on the street from 20/20’s agent Frames Bond has it that the upcoming “Spiderman II” might feature some Boom posters as set backgrounds. And… Boom illustrator Jim Webb told Fluffy, our other secret agent, that Boom Max Rack postcards are all the rage at Forbidden Planet, New York’s Mecca for graphic comics. Seriously, the marketing concept behind this eyewear collection is wickedly unique. Find out for yourself by dialing (888) 576-MOJA.  —JJS

Wind
of the Pillows
Why didn’t anyone else ever think of that? A&A Optical sure came up with a clever way of making their Pez Eyewear pop right out of their cute, little eight-frame display box. Each frame is propped up by its own little Pez pillow. The pillow also serves as a separate single frame display stand for one frame and makes the safest tiny perch for displaying the frame to both parents and children. Having seen literally thousands of frame display boxes 20/20 is well aware of how hidden some frames can seem when “stuck-in-a-slot-in-a-box.” Leave it to Pez to perfect the perfect dispenser for the dispenser.  —JJS

Smart Web-sters — It goes without saying that the hottest marketing tool in the world (besides 20/20, of course!) is the ability to connect on the Internet. Working to get optical fully “wired” VisionWeb, has taken over the hosting and support of more than 20,000 eyecare provider web sites, which were previously hosted and administered by Essilor of America. In addition, current and future VisionWeb members can create a free web site for their practice as a benefit of VisionWeb membership. “At VisionWeb, we strive to offer our members a one-stop online tool, which helps them to simplify and streamline their practices,” says Jim Vitkus, vice president and chief marketing officer of VisionWeb. “Adding the customizable web site service is another benefit we are offering our members to help enhance their businesses.” This service is free to VisionWeb members. Eyecare providers can choose from 21 different templates to create a customized look and feel. They can customize much of the content on the web sites including their company name; contact information for their practice; names, bios and photos of staff; photos of their office; office hours; the privacy policy; special offers; and products and services offered to patients. In addition, the sites allow patients to request appointments.
For eyecare providers who already have one of these web sites, the service they receive will ultimately remain the same. Their patients will still visit the same web address and see the same layout and information that they previously did. However, VisionWeb has made several improvements to the web sites including improved administration tools, a HIPPA-compliant online appointment scheduler and the ability to add and edit a privacy policy. Interested users can contact VisionWeb customer service at customerservice@visionweb.com or toll-free at (800) 874 6601 for more information. —JJS

J&J Flexes Marketing Muscle with PAL Launch — Johnson & Johnson Vision Care’s Spectacle Lens Group is ramping up the rollout of its debut product, a new progressive lens called Definity. Definity features a proprietary “Dual Add” design that uses both the front and back surface of the lens to offset unwanted astigmatism. The lens features a wide intermediate zone and a special “fourth zone that reduces the near add power to help minimize distortion and flatten the field of vision, providing clearer vision when patient's look down. J&J is positioning Definity as a unique PAL designed to enhance benefits to the patient through the lowest level of peripheral distortion. Marketed as a premium product, Definity will be shipped directly to ECPs from J&J's new state-of-the-art Roanoke, Va. lens plant. To support Definity, J&J's The Spectacle Lens Group has planned  a comprehensive marketing campaign driven by a technology message to ECPs and consumers, supported by data from clinical trials. According to Sandra Lawrence, vice president of sales and marketing, there will be a “full-scale program of speakers' bureaus, continuing education services, one-on-one with the sales force and a “strong” consumer approach to print and TV marketing of Definity that will start “soon” in the markets. ECPs are currently dispensing the lens in approximately 20 percent of the U.S. including Florida, and in several major cities, including New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Houston. The company plans to fill in markets based around those key cities with rollout through the entire U.S. as quickly as possible.

Younger Expands Clear Choices Program — Younger Optics is expanding its Clear Choices incentive awards program to offer a wider range of gift awards and bring back dining and shopping certificates popular with participating laboratories, dispensers and opticians. The original Clear Choices 2003 catalog, which participating laboratories distribute to their customers, offers award certificates redeemable for gifts ranging from Sony camcorders to digital copiers and laser printers to watches and jewelry to luggage, tools and household items. The new Additional Awards 2003 catalog offers gifts such as cameras, clocks, child safety kits and small appliances that are redeemable for fewer certificates than the gifts in the silver catalog. Younger has also included gift certificates redeemable at popular restaurants and stores.



 

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