Vision & Future, evolution through innovation

Start of an innovative roadshow thanks to the collaboration between Alcon and Essilor The "Vision & Future" roadshow is at the starting line. The initiative is the result of a special collaboration between Essilor Italia and Alcon Italia (Vision Care Division) and on February 16 it will give birth to the first of two invaluable meetings for Italian optical centers.   The heart of the project – a unique collaboration concerning ophthalmic lenses and contact lenses – is the wish to unite the experience and know-how of two of the market's main players that make innovation the primary driver behind their business strategies.   Against the splendid backdrop of Borgo Egnazia (BR), it begins this weekend – February 16-18 – with the inaugural stage devoted to customers in the center-south of Italy. This will be followed by the second stage, at Baveno on the shores of Lake Maggiore (VB), devoted to customers in the center-north of Italy. The two stages will involve a total of over 350 outlets.   The event calendar is packed with contents linked by a single leitmotif: innovation. The latter passes through differentiation with new products and new approaches to selling, the development of a new and profitable relationship with consumers thanks to a new way of communicating, or through innovative and optimized outlets. Nowadays, innovation is the only real weapon for supporting the value of optical firms.   The subject will be discussed during a plenary session on Sunday afternoon. Guests include eminent experts on the market and scholars of sector marketing: Prof. Chiara Mauri - Professor of Marketing, SDA Bocconi University- and Giampaolo Falconio – Global Eyewear Manager Retail and Technology at GFK. Their talks will alternate with those by the international representatives of the two companies' Research & Development departments. Talks illustrating the companies' 2014 strategies based on innovation will complete the meeting. On Monday, two interesting moments are scheduled by the "Innovation Lab": two workshops directed by Essilor and Alcon will analyze and take a closer look at which tools the two companies offer to ensure that innovation plays an effective role in the optical firm's business.   Participants will also be offered in-depth theme corners – open throughout the event - for one-to-one meetings with the companies, finding out about the latest new products (ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses and instruments) and the companies' marketing proposals in support of sales.   In addition to the two events at Borgo Egnazia and Baveno, the "Vision and Future" roadshow will continue for Essilor until April with a packed series of meetings that will cover the entire Italian territory.