Interview: Ryan Leighton, CEO Leightons Opticians

Home truths are often painful and when Leightons asked its customers for some honest feedback three years ago the response hurt. The firm acted on that feedback by embarking on a rebranding process which is now nearing completion.

‘It was three years ago that we had a couple of workshops which told us that we looked a little bit like Timpsons,’ says Leighton. That look may work for the shoe repair chain but was not an image Leighton wanted to portray to people in the 30 to 49 age bracket walking past his stores. ‘To hear that from our customers made us rethink the whole brand and the way that the stores looked. That led on to Project Burgundy which has been ongoing.’