• PRESS RELEASE July 24, 2014, 2:05 a.m. ET


Essilor Launches Its First Media Campaign in China to Speed the Growth of Crizal(R) lens


CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 24, 2014-- Regulatory News:

Building on the success of media campaigns run in the United States, France and Brazil to strengthen the Crizal(R) brand, Essilor (Paris:EI) is launching its first consumer advertising campaign in China, which is the world's biggest ophthalmic lens market in terms of volume.

Rolled out on various platforms, including TV, online and Focus Media, in six major Tier 2 Chinese cities, the campaign expresses the strengths of the Crizal(R) range through two key messages:
-- A commercial designed to reinforce the Crizal(R) brand as the benchmark in transparent lenses delivering a full range of value-added features, such as anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, smudge-proof, hydrophobic and anti-static properties, thereby encouraging wearers to move upmarket.

-- Another commercial, focused on the E-SPF index, aimed at educating consumers about how to protect themselves against the harmful effects of ultra-violet rays. As well as advertising the Crizal(R) UV range's E-SPF 25 lenses, it will promote the sale of E-SPF factor 10, 15 and 25 lenses marketed under the Group's other brands (Shamir, Nikon, Kodak) and by its partners in China.
The campaign is backed by a significantly higher consumer media budget for the Group's flagship brands, including Crizal(R), Transitions(R), Varilux(R), and Xperio(R). The budget has been increased from EUR25 million in 2013 to EUR 60 million in 2014(1) , with EUR 22 million earmarked for the Crizal(R) brand alone.
Primarily financed by synergies generated by the integration of Transitions Optical Inc., the planned funding will push the consumer media budget up to EUR125 million by 2016, making a powerful contribution to Essilor's future growth and helping to consolidate its leadership.