Essilor

World Sight Day: Employee Engagement Campaign

"Herald helped us solve a wide range of brand and marketing challenges with creative solutions." 

— VP of Corporate Communications, Essilor Group

Client

Essilor is the world leader in ophthalmic optics. The company’s mission is to improve lives by improving sight for the 7.4 billion people who need to take care of their eyes. For almost 170 years, the Group has dedicated all its efforts to tackling this global health challenge, which affects both local communities and national economies. The company dedicates more than €200 million each year to research and development, innovating in all aspects of its business: products, services, partnership, and distribution to meet the needs of consumers worldwide. In the process, help local communities and the global economy to prosper. 

They’ve become quite good at it: one billion people wear Essilor products, which include a wide range of prescription and non-prescription solutions to correct and protect their vision, and to prevent risks to their eyesight. 

Essilor considers its people the core part of its success: the commitment of the 64,000 people who innovate, manufacture and distribute their products.  But when you are a global corporation getting everyone to fully understand and engage with the company's mission isn’t going to be easy.

There are inherent challenges: Global diversity. Global scale. Employee motivation.

Process

Every year, Essilor corporate internal and external communications teams produce and develop an activation initiative to mark World Sight Day. Essilor leverages this event to raise global awareness about the importance of good vision with the general public, employees, partners, and suppliers. It also offers an opportunity to reinforce the company’s mission and leadership in the fight against poor vision.

While annual campaigns are relatively consistent year to year, this time Essilor wanted to do something different. The theme for World Sight Day 2018 was ‘road safety.’ Road safety campaigns are very common internationally. Different cultures deal with this topic very differently (fear, humor, data), but most campaigns are ineffective unless paired with specific action and an individualized approach. With a diverse, multilingual, international audience, how could we roll out a campaign that reached everyone in a language that they could understand? How could we encourage a specific, measurable action that would resonate with everyone? How could we make it meaningful, but also fun?

  • Build employee advocacy by trusting people and involving them

  • Encourage behaviors that will reinforce values

  • All activities must support and promote the corporate mission

  • Include a call to action that is straightforward and easy to understand, to help them make vision a priority

An aerial view of a complex highway interchange with multiple roads and overpasses surrounded by green trees and parks.
A woman wearing glasses and a red jacket covering her ear, holding a smartphone, in an outdoor urban setting.
A collage of four images illustrating travel gear and accessories for a road trip. Top left shows sunglasses, a camera on a map, a notebook, and a straw hat. Top right displays a white shirt, black and white patterned wallet, black high-heeled shoe,
Step-by-step social media campaign guide titled 'USER FLOW'. Step one shows a camera icon and the text instructing to take a picture of gear, clothing, or items for the road. Step two shows a speech bubble icon and instructs to post the picture on so
Man lying on the ground with arms raised in a flexing pose, wearing sunglasses and a red cap, positioned next to a bicycle. Surrounding him are various items including headphones, a red notebook, an Apple laptop, a magazine, and a backpack, all on a

Project

World Sight Day 2018: Viral Campaign + Contest

How could we reach thousands of Essilor Employees around the world in a language that all could understand. Knowing that this is an important topic, and employees crave meaning and relevance, how could we connect everyone?

Key Factors:

  • Fun and intuitive

  • Fast and easy-to-use (Built on existing technology)

  • Mechanisms for distribution across social media and other channels. 

Theme: Show how you get road ready

Every day you head out your front door, you always bring the essentials with you. On the road, being able to see the other vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians protects them, and you.You bring the things that will make your day safely a success. When you are ready to hit the road, you ALWAYS bring a pair of glasses with you. 

Collection of travel and photography accessories including a smartphone, notebook, coffee cup, credit card, water bottle, keys, USB drive, pens, camera, sunglasses, watch, and a pen.
Illustration of various travel and accessories items including a smartphone, notebook, glasses, credit card, key, water bottle, sunglasses, a camera, coffee cup, watch, flashlight, pen, and pencil, with the text "Show us how you get #Ready for the Ro
Illustration of various travel essentials including a smartphone, notebook, sunglasses, credit card, water bottle, keys, flashlight, coffee cup, camera, smartwatch, pen, and makeup items, all arranged around the bold text 'Show us how you get ready f

Results

1,000s of photo submissions across six continents and thirty countries

Why it worked:

  • Curated contest photo gallery makes it easy for people to see other’s work across channels, but lets us curate output.

  • Simple & action-oriented: Everyone has a phone or access to a camera. Not language-dependent.

  • Personal expression: people can show off their lifestyle, location, and/or creativity.

  • Create opportunity for suppliers, partners, and employees to be ambassadors of the World Sight Day campaign 

  • Multiple opportunities to share mission and product messaging: prepare for the road (not just glasses, but also eye tests).

Beach accessories including a wide-brimmed hat with a leopard-print scarf, a pair of sunglasses, a turquoise bikini, snorkeling gear, a red disposable camera, an orange waterproof case, and a woven purse on a patterned beach towel.
Hiking and photography gear arranged on a gray surface, including a foldable map, compass, camera with telephoto lens, hiking boots, trail notebook, water bottle, hat, sunglasses, and travel accessories.
Black sunglasses, black wallet, and a black and white checkered backpack on a white tiled floor.
Travel essentials including makeup brushes, sunglasses, white sneakers, eyeglasses, a passport, a camera, books, colored pencils, and a box of colored pencils on a light green floral surface.
Flat lay of various items including a camera, film rolls, batteries, a small camera, sunglasses, a remote, a smartphone, a wallet, a wireless mouse, a key fob, a notebook, three pens, a photograph of a child, a laptop with a Windows logo, and a book
Cluttered desk with camera, pens, notebook with hashtag, wallet with floral design, sunglasses, pink glitter clutch, watch, keychain with Eiffel Tower and heart, crizal glasses, a pink crayon, a travel mug with sunglasses logo, and a smartphone showi
A collection of travel and everyday items arranged around a Paris-themed umbrella with illustrations of the Eiffel Tower.
A flat lay of personal items on a wooden surface, including a round Dior makeup compact, a stainless steel travel mug, pink and black beaded bracelets, a small red Max Factor lip balm, a pink Ted Baker body lotion, a smartphone, a pair of round eyegl
Flat lay of personal items on a wooden surface, including a red notebook, a phone displaying the time 3:15, sunglasses, a watch, a pair of glasses, a small brown and black pouch, a leather bracelet, a set of car keys, a red and black Dell laptop, and
Various personal items laid out on a wooden floor, including a black motorcycle helmet, brown camera case, Nike sneakers with swoosh logo, Supreme-branded fanny pack with floral pattern, red and black gloves, sunglasses in a brown case, JBL logo, and
Flat lay of personal belongings on a wooden surface, including shoes, a smartphone, jewelry, sunglasses, a water bottle, snacks, a diary, and autumn leaves.
A traveler's cluttered table with maps, a camera, sunglasses, a smartphone, headphones, sunscreen, and a lipstick on a purple surface.
Sunglasses, a pair of earrings, a bottle of hand sanitizer, keys, a note that says "Reasons Why You Should Travel Alone At Least Once In Your Life," a bag of caramel candies, and a Coach wallet on a white surface.
A small dog lying on its back next to various personal items including a straw hat, a smartphone, a green spray bottle, sunglasses, a comic book, a camera, a keychain, a power adapter, a small jar, and a fishing lure.
Triathlon equipment including a bicycle helmet, swimming goggles, a race bib with the name Alexandre and the number 1927, a medal, running shoes, cycling shoes, a water bottle, a bicycle pump, a helmet, and various gear on a wooden surface.

"Herald helped us solve a wide range of brand and marketing challenges with creative solutions." 

— VP of Corporate Communications, Essilor Group

Strategy

  • UX

  • Analytics

  • Research

Creative

  • Website Design

  • Content

  • Animation

  • Video production

Partners