“EYEWEAR THAT GETS you noticed” is how the team at Optical Arts in Toledo, OH, describe their carefully selected and customized eyewear. It also sums up perfectly their memorable branding, whose arresting, bold colors and distinctive logo adorn not only the six-decade-old business’s impressive array of marketing materials and merch, but the very building from which it has operated for nearly half a century.
OA has made a name for itself in northwest Ohio as a purveyor of eyewear that other shops in the region simply don’t carry. According to licensed optician Maggie Ryan, the optical’s target demographic is “anyone who is looking for exciting eyewear,” so its branding is designed to “catch that artsy person’s attention.”
The centerpiece is the logo, which cleverly combines a spectacles motif and the letters “O” and “A” in a distinctive magenta, green and purple color scheme, along with the Optical Arts name and motto, “The Art of Eyewear.” The team try to incorporate these colors into as many branded elements as they can, including business cards, exam reminder cards, thank you cards, stickers, shirts, cleaning cloths and the building’s exterior walls.
“At a closer glance the design resembles a pair of glasses, but the ‘OA’ is the most important part — recognizability,” says Ryan.
Color has always been an important part of the brand, but it really took center stage when the store’s exterior was repainted a few years ago. “Our location has many passing cars, so having bright colors captures the attention of the people that regularly take the route by the office. The first time they do a double take; the second time they pass by they take a moment to really look,” Ryan says.
The team designs much of the branded materials themselves, but occasionally bring in local graphic designers. “We love to keep it local!” she says.
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Ryan has two words of advice for ECPs planning a brand refresh: “Consistency and research. Find your target market and research what captures their attention. Once it is found, keep a couple of key things and use those consistently throughout your marketing. We love to post pictures of our clients with their new eyewear and post unique frames to grab attention on social media. In our ads we always use our colors.”
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