Question

Question 5 The Vision Council of Great Britain is a trade group representing the optical industry (specifically spectacle retailers). The group decides to launch a consumer education programme after research reveals a reluctance to take children for eye tests because parents rely on free school screening. Additional research suggests that 80 per cent of learning before age 12 is accomplished through vision, yet traditionally in school screenings they miss between 70-80 percent of children’s vision problems.

TASK: Your PR firm is retained to conduct a national consumer education programme emphasising the importance of annual eye exams for children. What would you suggest? Programme elements that you should consider include key publics, message themes, time of year, strategies and innovative communication tactics particularly new media and technology.

Answer 1

The target consumers for an annual eye examination are the children and their parents who are responsible to take them for screening. As children are too young to make a decision in this regard, the parents need to be communicated effectively. The steps of programmes will be as given below.

1. Preparation of a database of the schools with their student strength region wise.

2. Preparation of the database of the opthalmologists region wise.

3. Taking appointments from the schools for bulk eye screening through expert professionals.The exercise of eye screening should commence just after the term examination of the students when they will be less burdened and this exercise will not affect their studies.

4. Taking appointments from the opthalmologists region wise and schedule the screening after matching the availability of both parties.

5. Taking statutory approvals from the authorities if necessary.

6. Chalking out different communication strategies keeping in mind different demographic charaterstics of the parents. The mode of communication should include a telephonic call and sms from the schools, mailers, pamphlets, focussed digital advertisement of the campaign through facebook, twitter and other social media platforms. For far flung areas, a mobile communication team with on spot screening facility will be helpful.

7. The communication theme should include the symptoms reated to vision issues, benefits of early eye screening, cost benefits from bulk eye screening programs and treatment plans for those affected. The audio visuals / multimedia should include illustrations, videos and messages, through which the target groups may relate their condition with the campaign and participate in the screening.