If you are reading this on October 19 or a date thereafter, then you most likely missed the greatest optical gathering in the history of the UK. If you are reading this magazine on its publication day, October 15, you’re in luck because on Monday there is going to be the greatest optical gathering in the history of the UK.
I finished writing last month’s column, which mentioned my intention to organise the Great British Eyewear Show, late one Sunday night. When I got to work on Monday morning, there were a lot of discussions in the office along the lines of ‘why are we doing this?’ and ‘don’t we have enough to do?’ I had also put a question out on some online forums asking opticians if they thought it was a good idea. ‘This is totally irresponsible in these times,’ and ‘I don’t think there should be tradeshows at the moment,’ were among the responses. There were a few positive comments but overall, by the end of the day, I was thinking that we shouldn’t do the show after all.
That evening I was leaving the factory having told my marketing team we wouldn’t be doing it. They looked relieved. Then I was standing at the door, coat on, keys in hand, telling my chief operating officer the news. He asked why I’d made the decision and I couldn’t give a good enough answer. When considering Covid, the counter argument was that Silmo went ahead. Vision Expo West in Las Vegas went ahead. I went to a crowded stadium to see Brentford play Liverpool at football. People are eating in restaurants and theatres are full, and I’d already told everyone in the pages of Optician that I was going to put on the show. So, I thought, what the hell? You are a long time dead (my usual justification when I want to do something ridiculous) and went back to the marketing team and gave them the good news.
The first thing some of the other brands asked me was ‘do we have a website for this show?’ Well, how hard can that be? Not very, it turns out. I don’t usually get this hands on but within 20 minutes of being on GoDaddy.com we had a website with registrations, events and a list of all the brands. OK, it took a few days in the end to get the damn thing working properly but still, what was only a vague idea a few days ago was now taking shape.
Then the PR machine got going − that’s Casey who works for me. Together we wrote and scheduled 22 emails, the number of days we had till the show opened on our marketing software. Casey put together a Facebook page. Press releases were optimistically sent out and the show came to life.
‘I want masseuses at the show and a spa,’ I said. ‘Let’s take the bar from our Munich show stand and the gin, in fact, let’s have a gin bar! How about a world cup table football competition? Let’s get a local Indian restaurant to come and serve delicious food.’ Usually when I have silly ideas at least one person advises a good reason why we shouldn’t do it. But with this show there is no time to reflect. In it all went. ‘I want lasers and a smoke machine and we are having a party at the end.’
In the following days 10 more brands signed up, good ones as well. In fact, we had to start telling brands we didn’t have space. I set up a lecture theatre on the show plan and Zeiss signed up to offer some CET sessions. I’m personally giving two talks. One shares my gold standard tips for dispensing and, at the other one, I’ll not only be showing you how acetate raw material is made but you will be able to make acetate as I’m bringing my Acetate Kitchen along. French brand Francis Klein and styling expert Eva Dave are is presenting a workshop on ‘What women want and why you should listen,’ (I think I need to hear that one) and CocoSong will present the inspiration behind its brand with flowers, feathers and stone. I can’t wait.
The last few weeks have been far more work than I’d signed the company up for, but the nice thing about an event like this is that it will come to an end, unlike the never ending marketing river we usually sail down, and we can all be satisfied with a job well done.
I wanted 100 opticians to sign up. As I write this, we have 100 opticians signed up. The space can take 600 but we limited it to 300 for Covid. I hope to see you there on Monday, but if you are reading this on the 19th, then I hope you missed one hell of a Great British Eyewear Show.