Craving MIDO: a talk with Hoya.

MIDO is back, in person and in complete safety, at the Fiera Milano Rho venue from 12 to 14 February 2022. The event is set to be a must-do for the whole sector, both in terms of its role as a privileged observatory and as an international point of reference in the worlds of design, fashion, culture and business. MIDO is also a hub that reflects an entire industry, for reflection and rethinking about eyewear in all its aspects and details, a showcase for final users. As the next important edition approaches, we have interviewed some of the key players.

Today we give the floor to Anna Maria Nicolini, Anna Maria Nicolini, Marketing Director Hoya Italy.

In your opinion, what is MIDO’s role, particularly this year, after the enforced cancellation of two onsite and in-person editions due to the Covid-19 health crisis?

For us, MIDO has always been an important occasion to think about our past activity while looking towards the future, taking advantage of the wonderful opportunity to interact directly with the many ophthalmic opticians who generally flock to our stand.

With Covid, the situation changed. We have all changed our approach.

Over the last few months, we have stayed close to our partners thanks to online events and education, with one-to-one meetings, but physical proximity is always a different thing. Our consultants around the country have also maintained the strong relationship with our partners that we are renowned for, firstly online but in person as soon as possible. We hope that with the next MIDO edition, there will be a return of that special atmosphere of curiosity that has always distinguished MIDO. We believe that it will take time to return to pre-Covid levels of physical participation, but we surely have the means and new energy to raise interest in many topics that have emerged globally in the last two years.

How will your participation in the fair be set up?

We literally cannot wait to be able to welcome our guests in person and in complete safety. For those who cannot enjoy MIDO with us live, we will release a “best of” video in the following days, presenting our news and allowing everyone to experience the Hoya stand atmosphere in another way.

Will you be launching new products?

We will be presenting new initiatives that propose the best strategic products for optical stores and centres. For personalised progressive lenses, we are preparing a new TV campaign for the beginning of next year that will highlight the Hoya Optician Centers and the benefits of personalised Hoyalux iD MySelf progressive lenses, including their extremely important ease of adjustment. Regarding MiyoSmart, the lenses that correct myopia and can help slow down its progression, MIDO will herald a moment of appraisal for the special training path Hoya Faculty 4.0 Myopia Management. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance that attests to their status as Expert Professionals in Myopia Management in their region. We will talk about the new Anti-Bacterial treatment, which has been in the Hoya catalogue since early December and offers four levels of protection together: from bacteria, UV rays, blue light, and also scratches, allowing the Hoya Center ophthalmic optician to introduce the important topic of prevention to his/her customers.

We will also continue to focus on Sync, the lenses to reduce digital eye strain and which also have the special purpose of “guiding” the newly long-sighted towards progressive lenses, and Sensity 2, the light-sensitive lenses exclusively available from independent optical centres; finally, we will talk about Fashion lenses, with very popular colour models selected by Angelica Pagnelli, products enhanced by lots of trendy innovations that offer vision solutions and charm together.

What are you organizing for your optician partners at the fair?

Mido will be an important moment to compare points of view, needs and expectations, not just product news. Communication and trust continue to be fundamental values for building and maintaining strong partnerships over time, for working together and becoming even stronger.

How is your 2022 marketing plan structured?

In 2022, it will be important to be prepared in order to face the contexts and specific requirements that have emerged in the last few months as well as possible: an ageing population, widespread short-sightedness in younger generations, increased activity on digital devices indoors, and the need for eye protection which is shared by all age groups.