International Vision Expo & Conference, co-owned by Reed Exhibitions and the Vision Council, is the largest fashion and technology event for eyecare professionals in the Americas. In 2008, CSG Creative was asked to rebrand this biannual event, which had suffered from flat attendance for the past several years and was facing increasing competition from similar events held in Europe.

Rich colors added an energy and sophistication that breathed new life into the marketing collateral and made the audience rethink expectations of their Vision Expo experience. Traditional trade show photos were replaced with organic, artistic brushstroke renderings of relevant “tools of the trade” targeted to speak to each key audience segment.

Completely overhauling the creative, messaging and strategic marketing mix exceeded all objectives. And now, while preparing for the 2015 events and after several years of record-breaking attendance, International Vision Expo is once again ready to freshen the brand.

Despite our intimate knowledge of the stakeholders and industry, CSG Creative recognized the value in a holistic approach. We reviewed both domestic and international competitors, analyzing and reporting on their tone, message and brand personality. Our senior leadership team and primary account managers led an extensive brainstorming meeting with nearly 20 key team members and show collaborators, diving deep into messaging, audience behaviors, positive and negative brand attributes, and an aspirational wish list for the future of International Vision Expo.

This thorough and inclusive collaboration unified all stakeholders and created a platform for unprecedented agreement and continuity. The resulting creative brief was a seamless launching pad for a new show tagline, identity and message platform.

CSG Creative developed a modular five-year campaign that is aspirational and forward-thinking. The campaign recognizes both the event and all participants as visionaries, meant to elevate the entire profession to achieve visionary status. The graphics are bold and flexible to allow for movement through a multi-year campaign. We created an asset hierarchy, writing approved marketing copy for every benefit and feature, in order to unify all marketing messages. We also created an advertorial campaign that uses a fresh personality and speaks with a more experiential tone.

In addition to the strategy, branding, messaging, direct mail and advertising, CSG Creative created all signage and environmental graphics so the on-site experience is a seamless extension of the pre-show marketing impressions. CSG also has a strong hand in the brand evolving through video, online and social media.