THE IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 2 MISSED IT 013 . Developments . Headlines . Trends 013 was yet another year that moved the optical industry forward week shutdown, all influencing the depth and pace of economic recov- in significant directions. Forces as diverse as online retailing, ery across the country. 2managed care, consolidation, rebranding, technology, demands Across the couple of thousand (we counted!) headlines of the stories on the independent, a growing number of alliances, the growth of social and reports issued by Vision Monday via our print publications, digital media, the continued rise of social-purpose marketing and a changing editions, our website, various live events and our e-newsletters, we health care benefits landscape pushed and buffeted the business. have selected only a few here to help you review the year that was. Indeed, the real-word landscape was as impactful as the competi- This year-end review is conceived as an extension of our regular print tive and virtual landscapes this year as the weather and nature took issues’ “In Case You Missed It” department. their toll in the form of tornadoes, fires, hurricanes and severe heat Likely, we’ve made some choices that don’t reflect all of the ones and cold. you remember. If so, let us know. And prepare, with us, for a another Even as the stock market rose, fell and rose again and unemploy- 52 weeks of headlines in 2014. Best wishes from all of us to all of you ment came down slightly by the fall, the tension in Washington made for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. itself felt through budget fights and battles still ongoing over health –[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; care reform. The U.S. government actually stopped, too, during a two- [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] More VISIONMONDAY.COM DECEMBER 16, 2013 40 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 2 . 013 Developments . Headlines . Trends TREND Consolidation, Combination, Conglomeration espite a relatively flat optical market, many large and mid-size companies managed to grow their market shares this year by forging new alliances through mergers, acquisitions and strategic partnerships. These moves caused shifts throughout the distribution chain, as wholesalers, retailers and sup- pliers realigned themselves in new configurations. In some cases, this resulted in greater consolidation within a particular part of the industry, such as the whole- sale lab or lens manufacturing sectors. But some companies formed partnerships that extended their reach into new areas. Mergers & Acquisitions Walman Acquires Rite-Style Diversified Ophthalmics Merges With Firestone Optics Hilco Acquires i-Promotions PFO Global Acquires Optima CooperVision Buys Websystem3 Local Eye Site Acquires EyeBuzz ABB Concise Merges with Optical Distributor Group Valeant Purchases Bausch + Lomb ATK Acquires Bushnell Outdoor Products Essilor Acquires 51 Percent Stake in Transitions Optical FYIdoctors Acquires Vision Source’s Canadian Resources Luxury Optical Buys Leonard Opticians and Opticians 3 Essilor Expands in Sun With Acquisition of Polycore My Eye Doctor on Major Expansion Drive WellPoint Acquires 1-800 Contacts Continued on page 42 In Super Bowl XLVII, the 2 Second Sight’s A NEWSLETTER VM’s Eye Baltimore Ravens beat Argus II retinal e-newsletter the San Francisco 49ers prosthesis gets Vision Technologies Raised to the Next Power debuts FDA approval A NEWSLETTER VM’s dba e-newsletter Doing Business in Optical’s Local Markets Vision Council boosts “Argo” wins best debuts awareness of computer picture at 85th Annual vision syndrome at Con- Academy Awards sumer Electronics Show JANUARY 2013 FEBRUARY 2013 DECEMBER 16, 2013 Visit VisionMonday.com and go to the Cover Story for live links to all these articles. 42 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 2 . 013 Developments . Headlines . Trends TREND Consolidation, Combination, Conglomeration M&A’s Continued from page 40 A.T. Cross Sells Cross Accessory Division, Changes Name to Costa, Inc. Sequential Brands Acquires Revo Brand, Inks Global License with B. Robinson for Sunglasses Essilor Announces Eight Strategic Acquisitions, Including Two U.S. Labs Essilor Announces Acquisition of LensTech and Plans for X-Cel Optical Essilor Buys Classic Optical, Strengthening Its Managed Care Offering Essilor to Acquire Costa, Inc. Refac and Its U.S. Vision Subsidiary to Acquire Nationwide Vision Marcolin and PAI Partners Buy Viva from HVHC Superior Vision and Block Vision Merge Canada’s New Look Acquires Vogue Optical Partnerships & Alliances 1-800 Contacts and Walmart End CL Alliance Walmart & Sam’s Club Debut New CL Program WellPoint Names Advisory Board, Adds 1-800 Contacts to In-Network Program Superior Adds Costco to Provider Network Walmart Adds Vision Benefits for Employees Via VSP MES Vision Launches Online Service for Members SoloHealth Partners with HHS to Inform About Affordable Healthcare Act EyeMed Establishes National Lab Network Featuring Essilor Laboratories of America + Walman Optical Co. Family of Businesses Superior Vision Partners with Ditto for Virtual Try-On L’Amy America and A&A Optical Announce Sales and Service Partnership More Jobson establishes non-profit Rick Bay Foundation for Excel- VM’s 7th Global Leadership Summit Boston copes with lence in Eyecare Education bombing tragedy VM debuts Showtime! new VisionMon- Vision Expo East day.com site in NYC MARCH 2013 APRIL 2013 DECEMBER 16, 2013 VISIONMONDAY.COM 44 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 2 . 013 Developments . Headlines . Trends TREND Branding...and Rebranding 013 was the Year of the Brand, both new Companies Rebrand Images to Consumers and refreshed. Some companies, including EyeMed Rebrands, Unveils Three-Tiered MVC Plan several large retail groups and managed care players, overhauled their corporate branding, Pearle Vision Launches Major Rebranding Campaign, New Prototype messaging and/or image, while others breathed Davis Vision Debuts ‘Eyecare Reframed’ Branding new life into established brands. And of course, ABB Optical Group Is New Name After Merger with ODG when you talk about “branding” you can’t forget Safilo Launches New Polaroid Branding and Premium Sun all of the new eyewear licences announced or those brands that collaborated together to raise The Rising Tide of Private Label Digital PALs their collective profiles. Visionworks Completes National Rebranding New Eyewear Licenses Zac Posen and Kenmark Sign Exclusive Eyewear Marchon Signs Global License Agreement for Liu Jo Eyewear Pregiata Eyewear and Tom Rebl Sign License Agreement LBI Signs License for Paris Blues Eyewear Colors in Optics Signs License for Elie Tahari Eyewear Mondottica Int’l Signs Yohji Yamamoto Licenses and Marimekko and Joules Licenses Mondottica USA Announces License for CB Sports and Cody Air Safilo Expands with Jack Spade License New Eyewear Collaborations Capsule Collection by Karl Lagerfeld & Italia Independent Pharrell Williams Guest Designer for Moncler Lunettes Shwood Debuts Second Pendleton Collaboration Ivory+Mason Collection Teams Up With Famous Faces More Newsmaker—Adlens’ James Chen balances MAY 20, 2013 / NO. 6 $15 27 VOL. VISIONMONDAY.COM commerce with philanthropy. —12 ECPs and optical suppliers Exclusive: Brick and Order VM’s Top 50 U.S. Retailers’ continue providing relief for ‘The State of the Opto- sales top $8 billion for 2012 Oklahoma tornado victims metric Profession: 2013’ identifies trends, issues VIVA FOCUSED ON A LEGACY OF ICONIC BRANDS: INTERNATIONAL BONGO CATHERINE DENEUVE GANT GUESS GUESS BY MARCIANO GROUP CANDIE’S HARLEY-DAVIDSON RAMPAGE SKECHERS WILLIAM RAST VIVAGROUP.COM Optical community helps those devastated by tor- The Vision Council concludes nadoes in Oklahoma merger agreement with COLA MAY 2013 JUNE 2013 DECEMBER 16, 2013 VISIONMONDAY.COM 46 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 2 . 013 Developments . Headlines . Trends TREND Brick, Click...Direct to Consumer he lines of optical retailing are blurring as websites expand their virtual stores into the brick-and-mortar realm and traditional retailers explore omni- channel opportunities. While much of the buzz until now has been about disrupters coming from the online space, existing optical companies are realizing that electronic retailing technology must be embraced, not ignored. Click to Brick Warby Parker Adds Stores Eyeglasses.com Opens First Store Coastal.com Opens Second Store Tortoise & Blonde Open Pop-Ups in Collaboration with Urban Outfitters Reorder of Business at The Monocle Order Click Expands B. Robinson and Cynthia Rowley Launch Rowley Eyewear and Mr. Powers E-Comm Sites Steve Alan Debuts Eyewear Site Adlens Debuts E-Commerce Site Glasses.com Debuts 3D Try-On App Iristocracy Debuts Curated Eyewear and Accessories Site Omni-Channel ‘Attention Internet Shoppers’ Rite Aid Testing In-Store and Online Sales of Rx Glasses LensCrafters Implements Digital Tools and Omni-Channel Strategy Sunglass Hut Opens New Tech Design Store in Miami Sunglass Hut Debuts in Times Square More Think About Your Eyes campaign relaunches with new industry partners Prince William and Duchess Kate ‘Great Glasses Play Day’ VM launches have their first baby. The future initiative marks success Intelligent Office monarch is named “George.” for second year microsite JULY 2013 AUGUST 2013 DECEMBER 16, 2013 VISIONMONDAY.COM 48 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 2 . 013 Developments . Headlines . Trends TREND The Intelligent Office he emergence of the Intelligent The Patient Experience Office emphasizes the central role Constant Connectivity of technology today in eyecare prac- Smartphones,