Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is launching a targeted marketing campaign for its recently FDA-approved overnight contact lenses, Acuvue Abiliti, to capture the back-to-school market. The lenses, designed to temporarily reshape the cornea and correct nearsightedness, offer a convenient solution for children and young adults, eliminating the need for daytime contact lenses or glasses. J&J recognizes the weeks leading up to the start of the academic year as a crucial commercial window for this pediatric-focused product.
“Eye health is key to children’s academic success and plays a role in early childhood development. In fact, 80% of classroom learning is done visually. This further reinforces the importance of overall eye health and how critical it is to our well-being, even for our children. At Johnson & Johnson Vision, we’re committed to changing the trajectory of myopia, and one step in that direction is driving parents to take action and schedule a yearly comprehensive eye exam.”
– Monica Jong, OD, PhD, Global Professional Education Lead for Myopihnson Vision
To capitalise on this opportunity, J&J has partnered with content creators, optometrists, and patients to share personal stories and encourage parents to schedule yearly eye exams for their children. Jason Hanna, an Acuvue Abiliti brand partner with a prominent parenting Instagram account (@2_dallas_dads) boasting 83,000 followers, has actively participated in the campaign. He ran a paid promotion for J&J on social media, featuring photos of children reading and engaging in distance activities, while discussing the importance of comprehensive eye exams during the back-to-school season.
“As a parent of school-aged children, summer always seems to pass by in the blink of an eye and before you know it, we are running around town checking off every item on our back-to-school list. With myopia on the rise, we make it a point every year to schedule eye exams for both of our boys.”
– Jason Hanna brand partner of ACUVUE® Abiliti™
The overnight contact lenses are part of J&J’s vision devices portfolio, which experienced a 6.9% growth in the second quarter. The company attributes the uptick in sales to “price actions” while acknowledging that “strategic portfolio choices and supply challenges” partially offset the growth of contact lenses.
By strategically aligning its marketing efforts with the back-to-school season and engaging with influential content creators, J&J aims to raise awareness about Acuvue Abiliti and the benefits of yearly eye exams, ultimately capturing a significant share of the pediatric eye care market.
In 2002, Sight For Kids® was established as a collaboration between Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) and Johnson & Johnson Vision. Over the years, this initiative has made a significant impact, having screened more than 42 million students worldwide. Through their efforts, they have treated over 600,000 students and provided 500,000 pairs of glasses to children in need.
As part of their ongoing commitment to making a difference, Sight For Kids® has introduced a meaningful incentive. For every purchase of Abiliti™ Overnight lenses, they pledge to provide a free eye exam to a child in need. This initiative aims to address the vision care needs of children who may not have access to proper eye care services.
Through this partnership between LCIF, Johnson & Johnson Vision, and Sight For Kids®, the initiative is expected to continue making a positive impact on the lives of children by promoting better eye health and providing essential vision support to those who require it the most.
