By Doug Zarkin, Pearle Vision

It’s time to reinforce to your franchisees that being part of a company entails more than executing against a set of brand guidelines. In the case of Pearle Vision, it’s a chance for the franchisee to make a real difference in their community.

Pearle Vision, among the nation’s truly iconic and premier franchise brands, has in recent years recommitted itself to the care-focused vision of the founder, Dr. Stanley Pearle. His philosophy to “care about the people behind the eyes” is not only at the center of what distinguishes the brand in the crowded optical retail category but also is at the core of how to earn the trust of our neighbors.

Heading into 2019, Pearle Vision knew it had an opportunity to deepen the meaning behind the iconic consumer promise “Nobody cares for eyes more than Pearle,” and so we launched ABSee.

ABSee, Powered by Pearle Vision & OneSight

On World Sight Day, October 10, outside Minneapolis, we proudly launched ABSee, powered by Pearle Vision and OneSight, the global vision nonprofit. ABSee brings best-in-class eye care at no cost to children in need in neighborhoods across North America, where Pearle Vision EyeCare Centers are located. For the one in four school-age children that the American Optometric Association reports has an undiagnosed vision care problem, corrective eyewear is provided at no cost.

With the vision van and team of eye care experts from the local Pearle Vision locations, a child examined in the morning will go home that afternoon seeing their world with 20/20 clarity — perhaps for the first time.

Giving Back Deepens Franchisees’ & Consumers’ Connection to Your Brand

Franchises are inherently well-suited for this kind of undertaking thanks to their structure. They already have national marketing programs and well-established, national and local support systems. The things that make franchises an attractive investment opportunity also give them unique opportunities to use their collective strength for a good cause. In the case of ABSee, because 80 percent of what a child learns is through their eyes, the franchisees truly want to ensure that every child in their community sees clearly.

Pearle Vision EyeCare Centers are primarily owned and operated by optometrists and opticians who live in the communities they serve, so an opportunity to make a difference on a national scale, yet see the impact in their backyard, resonates extremely well.

Studies, including a 2018 Accenture consumer research survey, show that consumers prefer to buy goods and services from companies that stand for values aligned with their own. Consumers who live near an EyeCare Center and who trust Pearle Vision with their eye care and eyewear needs are signaling that they support a brand composed of people who care for others. Their endorsement is a more powerful force in the consumer journey than any promotion, discount or monetary enticement.

Small Moments, Big Impact

At the first ABSee clinics, it felt like we were bringing to life the story of Olivia, a nine-year-old with a vision problem whose story was told in one of the ads in the “Small Moments” consumer marketing campaign. When her mom takes her to Pearle Vision, Olivia learns that she needs glasses. Eventually, she learns how glasses helped one of her heroines, Billie Jean King, achieve her dreams.

We have already hosted several ABSee clinics, and each one was full of its own priceless small moments. In Minneapolis, we were privileged to witness the moment when an 8-year-old who could see only about 5 inches from his face got his first pair of glasses. He could not stop smiling, and neither could we.

It was true in 1961, when Dr. Pearle started the brand, and with programs like ABSee, we believe it’s even truer today: Nobody cares for eyes more than Pearle.

Doug Zarkin is the Chief Marketing Officer for Pearle Vision. To find out more about Pearle Vision, click here.