When Luxottica Group needed to demonstrate to parents the plight of children struggling to see, it turned to Olson 1to1 and a 360 video to tell the story.
The Luxottica-owned LensCrafters campaign hinged on a 360 video of a classroom setting where the viewers field of vision mimicked that of a child with poor eyesight. The scripted moments showed the child struggling with instructions that were posted far away.
The campaign supported LensCrafters’ Clarifye technology, a digitally advanced eye exam system.
The user can manipulate the video view with his or her cursor, or, on mobile device, by moving it around.
“The 360 video was the outcome of several good strategic discussions between us and Olson,” said LensCrafters VP CRM Brian Venuti said. “The goal was to not get lost in the shuffle and find a way to use technology, since Clarifye is a tech story, that helps tell that story and break through.”
“The concept was connecting on an empathetic level with school-aged children who are having trouble seeing and how they would benefit from Clarifye,” said Jim Specht, executive creative director at Olson. “We thought, ‘how do we put the mother in the eyes of the child?’ The 360 immersive-ness of that environment aligned well.”
While 360 video has been around for awhile, it’s still a newer technology that some may not know how to use. YouTube and Facebook have publicized the technology through recent product announcements though.
“We benefited that, by the time we finished and released the video, it had become a little bit more popular,” Specht said.
This particular video was well suited for a 360 environment because a user that did not scroll around could get the message – that poor eyesight is a big concentration issue – but others could find additional value in exploring.
“Our biggest concern was making sure that adding in the 360 experienced enhanced the experience, not detracted from the message,” Venuti said. “We loved it conceptually, but you never know how it will work until it’s done.”
“In a classroom setting, the teacher is the guide and you follow her instructions. As she referenced things, those are all elements that you are encouraged to engage with,” Specht said.
Promoting the video was a multipronged paid and earned approach through email, social media, and through the company’s sites. The video itself was posted on Facebook, YouTube, and the LensCrafters site.
“Email is one of the core channels that our customers get information from us,” Venuti said. “We know within our database, households with families; took a mass and targeted approach. “
“It tells the brand story in a way that sending an email can’t,” Venuti said.
Venuti said this was the first major LensCrafters campaign to feature 360 video.
“We’re over 200k views on all channels,” Venuti said. “This video has gotten the most play over any other video asset in LensCrafter history. I think it’s a great example of where CRM as a function can put itself in a position to compliment the mass brand strategy.”
