What’s in a name?

For those who don’t like guessing, it’s L’Oréal, Nike and Sony respectively.

These companies were used as examples by Daniel Feldman, editor-in-chief of The Optical Journal, during his 100% Optical talk that explored the importance of branding and marketing for opticians.

For Mr Feldman, a business’ brand is of upmost importance. “It doesn’t matter what you think your brand is, it’s what other people think your brand is that counts,” he explained. He also encouraged listeners to think about their branding to ensure they can differentiate themselves from others and have a practice that looks unique.

When considering a rebrand, Mr Feldman explained that logos that are simple and easily recognisable are key.

“A logo should last some years, but not a lifetime,” he emphasised. And many brands will and should go through various iterations of their logo over the years.

The AOP and OT are examples of this. Just over five years ago both entities went through a brand refresh. For the AOP a new logo, brand identity and logo were established. For OT, we took the opportunity to revamp these elements too.

As OT marks its 60^th anniversary this year, we have been reminded of the various iterations that we have been through and the milestones achieved.

Anyone who visited 100% Optical at the weekend will have noticed the show’s entrance tunnel where we looked at landmark events in optometry that have occurred over the past six decades.

For those of you who missed it, you can still consume the information here.

Back to branding. As OT begins planning for its April edition, which will be themed ‘Exceeding patient expectations,’ we would love to hear from practices who have gone through a rebrand.

Have you taken over a practice and rebranded? Or perhaps you are a long-term practice owner who realised it was time for a refresh? Get in touch to share your story with us by emailing me or calling on 0207 549 2073. Alternatively, you can share your experiences on the AOP’s Community Forums.

Image credit: Getty/IconicBestiary