By Christine Yeh

I have known 20/20 since I was a little girl. No... not THIS 20/20. I’m referring to “20/20,” the prime time television news program that airs on the ABC-TV network. Growing up, my parents watched the show on Friday nights after my sisters and I watched our favorite family sitcoms. I can still hear the familiar line voiced by then-anchor Barbara Walters to open the program after introducing herself: “And THIS is 20/20.” It wasn’t until many years later when I discovered the other 20/20, the one you’re currently reading. (Ironically, THIS 20/20 came first—the first issue debuted in 1974. The TV program came on the scene four years later in 1978. Which by default makes them “the other” 20/20.) And now many years after that discovery, I’m proud to play a central role in THIS 20/20.

I have been working with (and now working for) 20/20 for 14 years, and quite honestly, it was an instant love affair. When I landed my first position here at Jobson, it actually wasn’t with the Optical Group. I was hired to launch a cohesive corporate marketing campaign for Jobson at a time when the company was expanding beyond optical into other areas of health care. Right away I became familiar with all business units of Jobson: pharmacy, medical education, etc. But optical was what intrigued me the most—maybe working out of our NYC corporate headquarters where the Optical Group was based influenced me, but reading 20/20 for the first time changed my life (though I didn’t know it at the time). A year later, an opening in the Optical Marketing department became available, and I snagged the opportunity. Soon I became immersed in all of Jobson Optical Group’s brands, working on various projects which included promotional campaigns, promotional collateral for our advertising sales reps, ad campaigns for advertisers, special events, etc.

As part of my job, I devoted equal time to the brands I was charged with, but 20/20 always had a special place in my heart. A significant part of it can be attributed to the friendship I developed with Editor-in-Chief James Spina. Neither of us remembers exactly how we became friends but I do recall always giving 20/20 extra coverage and special attention in Planet Jobson, our corporate newsletter which I helped launch and served as editor-in-chief for (which later would work in my favor). James’ creativity and background in fashion and music fascinated me, and I often found myself going to his office for guidance if I was working on a project for 20/20 or for no reason at all, just to chat, laugh and shoot the breeze. At the time, I didn’t work directly for James, but he would go on to mentor me in ways that have vitally shaped my career—a mentorship that continues today.

The second reason responsible for my connection to 20/20 is the magazine itself and the brand it represents.20/20 is more than an eyewear magazine. It’s a fashion magazine. It’s a product magazine. It’s a lenses and tech magazine. It’s an educational magazine. It’s a trade magazine, but you may never know it by looking at the cover. In fact, my very first encounter with 20/20 was that of confusion. When leafing through the pages of that first issue I ever looked at, I was mesmerized by how vibrant and beautiful the photography was, from the style-driven fashion editorials showing men and women modeling eyewear to the stunning still life photography of close-up product capturing bold colors and intricate frame details. There were celebrities—famous people wearing cool eyewear. This can’t possibly be a trade magazine, I thought. It’s too interesting and pretty. Admittedly, I wrongly (and immaturely) stereotyped all trade magazines as boring and well... not pretty. After reading the articles and editorial columns, I was blown away by the wealth of information packed into one single issue. It’s the perfect tool for its readers: a combination of new eyewear and lens products, and style trends to give them a preview of the newest eyewear and the retailing and tech know-how to help them successfully navigate their business—all the essential ingredients for engagement.



From that point forward, I looked forward to each issue every month, always eager to see who or what was featured on the cover, what the theme was for that issue’s style feature and who wore what in Hall of Frames. Celebrity and designer covers and interviews were also prominent—Diane von Furstenberg, Tom Ford, John Varvatos, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Stella McCartney. I was hooked... and I wasn’t even the intended “target” reader for 20/20. But that’s exactly what’s so special about this magazine. 20/20 has an innate ability of engaging an audience beyond the optical professional. It has the powerful authority and knowledge of a trade magazine but its design and content delivers like a consumer fashion magazine. In some ways, it wasn’t much different from the fashion magazines I grew up reading—Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazarr. Not surprisingly, many optical pros who receive 20/20 every month display it in their waiting rooms for patients to browse through, along with the many consumer magazines out there.

My stint in the marketing department would continue to allow me an insider look at reader engagement, since it was my job to promote this engagement and create awareness—both from the editorial and advertising side. Not only would I be responsible for putting together media kits, sales collateral and campaigns for 20/20 supplements including KidzBiz, SunVision and The Ultimate Accessory, but I would also become deeply involved with marketing every aspect and new initiative put forth by 20/20, including the redesign of the book from the traditional tabloid size of trade mags to a more contemporary and smaller square size, the launch of the What’s Brand New and Seller’s Guide issues, and the last major anniversary we celebrated before our current 40th anniversary—our 30th. I may not have been directly involved in creating the editorial content in 20/20, but I felt equally proud to be a part of it. Imagine my excitement when James gave me the opportunity to not only appear in the magazine, but to also write some guest editorials. In the February 2004 issue, I made my modeling debut in 20/20’s “Real Women in Eyewear” feature. I was nowhere near professional model material, but it was a fun and unforgettable experience to be a part of the photo shoot I looked forward to seeing every month. A few years later, James asked me to write a guest editor column, followed by an article in Upfront about my favorite singer/songwriter Butch Walker and a special eyewear gift I gave him. Yes... not only was I being published in my favorite magazine, but I also got to write about my favorite rock star. Worlds colliding... in the best way possible.

Around the same time, the digital world around us was exploding. The demand for digital content was on the rise—people wanted to not only read their favorite articles in print but also online. And that meant more than just a website. Always ahead of the opti-game, 20/20 was the first eyewear magazine to launch a digital edition allowing readers to view the entire issue online in digital format. An app for iPhone and iPad would soon follow (and now also includes Android smartphones). And let’s not forget social networks—with Facebook and Twitter gaining users by the millions, 20/20 jumped aboard the social media train and has never disembarked. Pinterest and Instagram would also gain ground, with 20/20 once again leading the optical pack in utilizing social media. All of this would elevate our reader engagement to a whole new level, opening and expanding our reach to a new, untapped audience, many of them being consumers who simply love eyewear and are hungry for more information on eyewear products. Social media became another way to deliver our edit content beyond print and the Web, and also enabled us to share immediate coverage on location when we are at photo shoots, trade shows, eyewear previews and special events, creating instant engagement for our readers following along not only on their computers but through their mobile devices.

And somewhere in the middle of all this, after a chance conversation with James, an opportunity arose when I had the privilege of joining the 20/20 edit team as Managing Editor. My devotion to 20/20 and all my years of experience promoting the brand, not to mention my friendship with James, culminated in a seamless transition for me as I crossed over from marketing to editorial, giving me a firsthand perspective from both sides. I went from marketing to managing the 20/20 brand—I have become a full-time writer, editor and manager of 20/20. After ten years of marketing it, this was truly my dream job; though it’s much more than a job to me. It has become a vital part of me—it’s in my blood, my personality. I’m lucky to be living the 20/20 dream, and after experiencing it from multiple fronts, I can easily understand how easy it is for anyone to connect and engage with 20/20, whether you’re an eyecare professional, an eyewear aficionado or a fashion enthusiast. That’s how 20/20 makes you feel—it has a way of capturing your attention and “romancing” you, the same way it romances the eyewear it features, as famously declared by James. Make no mistake; we’re more than pretty pictures and good looks. It’s all about passion—a passion for what we love in all things related to eyewear. It’s resoundingly present in the words we speak in our style and product features and in the stories we tell, whether it’s that of a famous designer or that of a mom-and-pop retailer; in the lenses and technology expertise we provide; the continuing education resources we offer; even in the social media realm reaching to those in optical and beyond. Indeed Art Director Iris Johnson puts our prettiest pages forward with her beautifully designed layouts and her army of creative photographers who bring the eyewear to life for your viewing pleasure in every issue. But their artistic vision is driven by the same passion we exhibit every day in communicating the opti-message to YOU. It’s a passion rooted deep in our commitment to your opti-engagement—and that’s truly the heart and soul of THIS 20/20... OUR 20/20. ■