There are 7,5 billion people on the planet, and each of their eyes is different. Yet in the production of progressive lenses, the optics industry has been using standard models of the human eye as a base for lens calculation. Since these models use standardised values that only suit a small percentage of eyes, lenses produced using these models fail to precisely fit most users. In fact, 98% of progressive lenses don’t fit the user’s eyes precisely.
Rodenstock’s DNEye® Scanner is a state-of-the-art device able to measure thousands of individual data points in every eye and transfer them directly to the lens production process. Through the DNEye® Scanner, Rodenstock has left the old way of thinking behind to become the only lens manufacturer to truly tailor lenses to the eyes of the individual. The result is sharper vision than ever possible before.
Kunde & Co’s task was to develop a compelling way to communicate this to the market and identify a market position to support Rodenstock’s value proposition.
First, to gain in-depth insights into Rodenstock’s technological innovations, Kunde & Co involved a broad range of internal stakeholders in the process. In close collaboration with Rodenstock’s management, R&D, marketing and sales departments, expert interviews, academic articles as well as scientific studies were carefully analysed and considered.
Based on this collaboration, two directions were developed to tell the story: ‘Brain Vision’ and ‘B.I.G. VISION™ – Biometric Intelligent Glasses’. The directions were included in the survey, along with several possible core messages, corporate concepts, market trends and visual identities.
Based on this collaboration, two directions were developed to tell the story: ‘Brain Vision’ and ‘B.I.G. VISION™ – Biometric Intelligent Glasses’.
Together with Rodenstock, Kunde & Co developed a comprehensive survey to test the concept and uncover the characteristics of the market, the group’s competitors and its customers. This involved a total of 3,865 individuals in three of Rodenstock’s key markets: Germany, England and Italy. The sample included around 650 Rodenstock employees, 200 opticians and other B2B customers, and some 3,000 glasses users in the three countries.
During 2020 we saw tremendous growth driven by our B.I.G. VISION™ technology, which helped us emerge from the COVID-19 crisis stronger than most of our competitors.”Anders Hedegaard, CEO Rodenstock Group
By uncovering the internal-external brand perception, the survey enabled Kunde & Co to define a future direction for the brand that would match both internal and external preferences, while appealing to the most valuable part of the market.
By mapping the value in the market and analysing the buying behaviour of opticians and consumers, Kunde & Co was able to extract a multitude of important insights. For example, the results showed that progressive lenses are one of the market’s most important sales drivers, and that customers above the age of 50 are Rodenstock’s most valuable target group.
Most importantly, the survey identified the internal and external perceptions of Rodenstock’s brand. By uncovering the internal-external brand perception, the survey enabled Kunde & Co to define a future direction for the brand that would match both internal and external preferences, while appealing to the most valuable part of the market.
Based on the survey results and numerous other insights, a set of strategic recommendations were developed, which formed the new brand strategy aimed at repositioning the company and capturing an optimal brand position. The core of the strategy depended on the creation of a powerful, integrated communication concept that incorporated the knowledge gained from the interviews with experts and included scientific studies. The new concept could then be tailored to address uncovered market preferences.
