(PRESS RELEASE) PINELLAS PARK, FL — Transitions Optical gathered over 10,000 industry professionals from 98 countries in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia online for a first of its kind, global virtual event—Transitions The Pulse. The event was broadcasted three times over two days and was translated into 13 different languages for eyecare professionals around the world to join together and feel the love for eye care. During the virtual summit attendees connected live on screen for the general sessions with Transitions Optical leadership and industry experts; listened to a keynote presentation on the latest retail strategies and future scenarios; heard from experts and educators during breakout sessions on the heartbeat of the industry; and learned from their peers and partners through the sharing of best practices. The event was filmed following safety protocols that allowed Transitions Optical to safely connect with partners around the world, while attendees could also engage and network with each other through the live chat feature and social wall.
As attendees tuned in early to prepare for the opening general session, they were surprised with a special DJ performance from Coco and Breezy, Transitions influencers and co-Founders of Coco and Breezy Eyewear, to build excitement before the start of the event. To open the event, Chrystel Barranger, president Transitions Optical & Essilor Europe, welcomed attendees for a global overview of the state of the industry in the Transitions Studio, a modern loft where she and others connected in-person and virtually with expert speakers from the optical industry. Transitions Optical speakers Elise Bioche, vice president, Global Marketing; Charlotte Hamel, director Global Internal Communications, PR and Events; Brian O’Neill, vice president, Global Innovation, Technology and Operations; and others presented in dynamic environments that uniquely displayed related content around them for viewers. The speakers educated attendees on how eye protection has never been more at the center of patients’ needs and requests with more time spent at home and on digital devices, how eye style is getting even more crucial as a key territory for self-expression, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has modified the shopping behavior of consumers in many ways. Additional expert speakers included:
- Matteo Battiston, global head of Design and Consumer Insights, Luxottica Group
- Professor Francine Behar-Cohen, ophthalmologist, Université Paris Descartes
- Stephane Cairole, managing director and senior partner, BCG
- Patience Cook, director, North America Marketing, Transitions Optical
- Jacob Mann, associate director, Retail, Transitions Optical
- Sheena Taff, optician and owner, Roberts & Brown Opticians
Dr. Darryl Glover, optometrist, MyEyeDr. and Vincent Biessy, general manager, Atol also made an appearance during the general session with contributions and questions for the presenters.
Within the general session Transitions Optical also shared new details on several launches and programs for the upcoming year. For eye protection, Transitions Optical shared more details on the upcoming launch of Transitions XTRActive Polarized, the only and best ever photochromic polarized lens, and announced the launch of a new generation of Transitions XTRActive lenses that are even darker and faster than the previous generation. To help eyecare professionals style Transitions lenses, Transitions Optical created Transitions collections in collaboration with frame design partners that show the best combinations of frames and Transitions lenses based on the eyewear trends for Spring/Summer 2021. Transitions Optical is also launching tools to help eyecare professionals simplify the increasingly digital consumer journey. In early 2021 an updated version of the virtual try-on at Transitions.com will be available, as well as a new tool for consumers to book an appointment directly on the Transitions.com website.
Following the General Session, internationally renowned author and keynote speaker Doug Stephens, founder of Retail Prophet, shared his unique perspective on retailing, business and consumer behavior.
After the keynote presentation, the virtual event concluded with a selection of breakout sessions that included:
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- Advancements in Photochromic Technology: Solutions for today’s world ABO presented by Pete Hanlin
- Offer Your Patients the Best: How to Evaluate Photochromic Performance and Claims presented by Chris King, Mayara Castillo, and Dr. Christopher Lievens
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence presented by Margaret Cooley, M.A.
- Leading Through Change in Turbulent Times presented by Dr. Joseph Carella
- Social Media 101 presented by Samantha Toth
“We always strive to be a light for the optical industry and a community builder,” said Patience Cook, director North America Marketing, Transitions Optical. “And that was our motivation for hosting Transitions The Pulse. We’re in a unique position to partner with professionals in many industry verticals across the globe and we wanted to share the knowledge we gathered over the last year, the behavior changes we have seen happening, and the best practices we curated so we can all start the new year together strong.”
Highlights from the event, and bonus content including a follow-up Q&A with keynote speaker Doug Stephens, will be made available on a new virtual learning platform in February 2021.
