Last year the campaign had 586M impressions.
(Press Release) ALEXANDRIA, VA – For the fourth consecutive year, The Vision Council is promoting the importance of UV-protective eyewear with the celebration of National Sunglasses Day, taking place on June 27. The annual day of recognition, which has garnered support and promotions from organizations across the eyewear and eyecare industry, reminds consumers that wearing sunglasses is not only fashionable, but also a health necessity to protect the eyes from long- and short-term damage from the sun’s UV rays.
The National Sunglasses Day campaign went viral in 2016, trending on Facebook and garnering more than 586 million online, social media and broadcast impressions via outlets like HuffingtonPost.com, Vogue.com and “Kathie Lee & Hoda,” and on the Instagram pages of prominent figures such as former Vice President Joe Biden. As a result, the campaign earned a Bronze Media Relations Award via Bulldog Reporter for best use of social media in the business/consumer space.
Based on last year’s success, The Vision Council has continued reaching consumers via social media, as well as pitching key entertainment, fashion, health and lifestyle consumer media outlets and influencers, leveraging the official hashtags #NationalSunglassesDay and #SunglassSelfie. The campaign has also secured celebrity- and blogger-sponsored Instagram and blog posts to be published on June 27 promoting the occasion, and is gifting key influencers with sunglasses in exchange for additional social media coverage using the hashtags. A press release via PR Newswire has also been published to further push the messaging to the masses. Lastly, The Vision Council has landed two regional broadcast segments on “Let’s Talk Live DC” and “CT Style” to air on June 27, featuring O.D. and medical adviser Dr. Justin Bazan spreading the word about National Sunglasses Day and the importance of UV eye protection.
New to The Vision Council’s plans is a series of broadcast interviews slated to take place on June 27 with Marie Claire senior fashion editor and “E! News” fashion correspondent Zanna Roberts Rassi as the official spokesperson for National Sunglasses Day. The interviews will all focus on key campaign messaging, along with UV eye health and style tips, ultimately encouraging consumers to wear and purchase UV-protective eyewear products. Additionally, for the first time ever, The Vision Council is executing National Sunglasses Day-themed Snapchat geofilters in eight major cities with higher-than-average UV levels, and initiating a social media challenge offering consumers the chance to win a free pair of sunglasses.
Organizations throughout the industry – including select members of The Vision Council – are showing their support for the campaign, and many are planning to utilize the National Sunglasses Day messaging to bolster their own efforts. A few examples include:
- Safilo Group was shooting a sunglasses trend segment in Philadelphia, PA, to air prior to June 27 and planned to utilize National Sunglasses Day messaging.
- Essilor USA was planning for numerous initiatives surrounding National Sunglasses Day, including a blogger initiative to promote their products and the social media release of product demo videos.
- ClearVision Optical Co. planned to post social media graphics featuring their employees wearing sunglasses and UV eye health tips leading up to National Sunglasses Day.
- One Click Adventures planned to execute a social media sunglass giveaway on National Sunglasses Day.
The Vision Council is encouraging all industry partners to spread the National Sunglasses Day message to educate consumers about UV eye safety and increase product sales. Contact Lindsey Ruhe, The Vision Council’s marketing & communications manager, to share your company’s efforts to help promote National Sunglasses Day.
The Vision Council also encourages eyecare providers to engage their patients in discussions about healthy vision maintenance, including the impact of UV eye exposure, as well as UV-protective eyewear options. Gain insight on top-level statistical findings – including data surrounding consumer perceptions about UV eye exposure, as well as UV-protective eyewear available on the market – from The Vision Council’s UV-focused VisionWatch report by visiting thevisioncouncil.org/uv.
For more information, please visit nationalsunglassesday.com.