Allen is well focused on General Optica strategy

Allen International has created a retail strategy and revamped the store design of Spanish optician General Optica’s flagship store, which launched last week, in a project worth a six-figure fee to the consultancy.

General Optica will monitor the success of the format at the 5000m2, two-storey store in Zarragoza before deciding how extensive a roll-out it will pursue. The chain has a 250-strong estate stretching across Spain and Portugal, and another ‘flagship’ store will open in Barcelona in September.

The brand has been repositioned from its traditional ‘medical’ image to a more fashionoriented well-being centre ‘where customers can receive intimate advice’, says Allen International creative director Aubrey Ghose. ‘Our challenge in redesigning General Optica’s brand image was to create a truly differentiated visual language along with a better way of shopping for spectacles within this highly competitive sector,’ comments Ghose.

‘We wanted to create places where customers could build a personal, memorable relationship so they’d want to revisit, a tall order, as the average customer-purchasing frequency for opticians is three years. That’s a long time to keep a customer’s brand loyalty,’ he adds.

The consultancy has created a ‘clean, crisp and contemporary’ look for the branch, using curved forms and materials. Merchandising is supported by graphic themes that deliver emotive messages representing different times of the year and day.

The consultancy has been working with General Optica for over three years and last year redesigned the brand’s corporate identity.