Revo Partners with Bono to Fight Vision Impairment and Unnecessary Blindness

NEW YORK, Jul. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — Eyewear brand Revo and U2 lead singer Bono announced a partnership today to help prevent vision impairment and blindness in more than 5 million people by 2020. The initiative, dubbed “Buy Vision, Give Sight,” will drive $10 million to the fight to improve access to eye screening, prescription glasses and eye health care in under-resourced communities around the world.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=34679

When a consumer purchases a new pair of Revo sunglasses, $10 from the sale of every pair, up to a total of $10 million, will be donated by Revo to the “Buy Vision, Give Sight” (Revo) initiative. To execute the initiative, Revo and Bono are partnering with the non-profit Brien Holden Vision Institute (Brien Holden Vision Institute), whose mission is to provide sustainable solutions for eye care and end avoidable blindness and vision impairment in under-resourced communities. The funds donated by Revo to the Brien Holden Vision Institute will help pay for basic eye care services, such as eye tests and prescription glasses, and build stronger eye care services in target communities for the longer term by training local people to provide eye care and detect eye diseases in their communities. The majority of Revo’s contribution to Brien Holden will support their “Our Children’s Vision” campaign (Brien Holden Vision Institute) whose aim is to prevent impaired vision and preventable blindness in more than 50 million children by 2020. A portion of the “Buy Vision, Give Sight” funds will also be used for eye health medical research.

An estimated 625 million people are unnecessarily blind or vision-impaired worldwide. According to the Brien Holden Vision Institute, almost 75% of all vision impairments including myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, un-operated cataract and glaucoma can be prevented or cured with access to preventative eye care and treatment, including prescription glasses.

Bono, who has a long track record in global health, particularly as an activist in the fight against HIV/AIDS, was diagnosed with glaucoma 20 years ago. His experience with glaucoma, for which he has been able to receive excellent treatment, has made him determined to find a way to increase access to frontline eye health services for others. The U2 singer will appear in Revo advertisements and campaign materials supporting the initiative.

“The ‘Buy Vision, Give Sight’ campaign is a very personal one for me,” said Bono. “Thanks to good medical care my eyes are okay, but tens of millions of people around the world with sight problems don’t have access to glasses, or even a basic eye test. Poor eyesight may not be life-threatening, but it dramatically affects your life and your livelihood if you aren’t able to fix it. When we met with experts, they said the number one problem is untreated poor vision, which prevents a child from learning in school, or an adult from performing their job. Sight is a human right and the ‘Buy Vision, Give Sight’ initiative will help ensure millions of people have access to the eye exams and glasses they need to see.”

Bono added: “With Brien Holden, we found a partner doing remarkable work, hand-in-hand with local communities. It’s mind-expanding what they are achieving; we’re very excited to work in partnership with them and Revo.”

Yehuda Shmidman, CEO of Sequential Brands Group, the owner of the Revo brand, commented, “We are very excited about this partnership. Revo’s pioneering lens technology has always put eye-health central to Revo products and we believe Revo buyers will embrace the idea that their purchase is helping someone else. We’re proud to support Bono and the Brien Holden Vision Institute in their efforts to bring basic eye care services to millions of people around the world. “

“Eye tests and eye examinations are at the front line of eye care. But for millions of people without medical access, the simplest problems go untreated, children lose education opportunities and adults lose employment, often resulting in poverty. It’s unnecessary and avoidable,” said Kovin Naidoo, Global Director of Programs, Brien Holden Vision Institute. “Together, through the ‘Buy Vision, Give Sight’ campaign, we can make a lasting imprint on eye care provision globally.”

By utilizing mirror coating lens technology developed by NASA as solar protection for satellites, Revo quickly became the leader in polarized lens technology and continues to offer the clearest and most advanced high-contrast polarized sunglasses on the market. Revo’s innovative Light Management SystemTM (LMS) delivers superior performance and protection from UVA/UVB rays and manages the full spectrum of light.

During U2′s Innocence + Experience World Tour, Bono will exclusively wear Revo sunglasses. Additionally, he has designed a capsule collection of sunglasses for the brand comprised of 5 styles. It will debut in late Fall 2015 and will include lenses in various colors outfitted with Revo’s LMSTM technology. The collection will be available at Revo.com, Sunglass Hut stores, and other fine specialty, optical and sporting goods stores around the world. As with all Revo sunglasses, $10 dollars from each pair of the Bono for Revo collection will go to the “Buy Vision, Give Sight” initiative.  Bono has donated his time and efforts to this partnership with Revo so that all funds can be directed to the “Buy Vision, Give Sight” campaign.

ABOUT REVO
Founded in 1985, Revo quickly became a global performance eyewear brand known as the leader in polarized lens technology. Revo sunglasses were first created by utilizing lens technology developed by NASA as solar protection for satellites. Nearly three decades later, Revo continues to build on its rich tradition of technology and innovation by offering the clearest and most advanced high-contrast polarized eyewear in the world.  Revo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sequential Brands Group Inc. and is manufactured under trademark license by B. Robinson, a leading manufacturer and distributor of luxury eyewear. Visit www.revo.com.

ABOUT SEQUENTIAL BRANDS GROUP, INC.
Sequential Brands Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:SQBG) owns, promotes, markets, and licenses a portfolio of consumer brands in the fashion, active and lifestyle categories.  Sequential seeks to ensure that its brands continue to thrive and grow by employing strong brand management, design and marketing teams. Sequential has licensed and intends to license its brands in a variety of consumer categories to retailers, wholesalers and distributors in the United States and around the world. For more information, please visit Sequential’s corporate website at: www.sequentialbrandsgroup.com. To inquire about licensing opportunities, please email: newbusiness@sbg-ny.com.

ABOUT BRIEN HOLDEN VISION INSITITUTE
Brien Holden Vision Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing creative and advanced solutions to ensure the provision of vision for everyone, everywhere.

The Institute’s mission includes developing new solutions for vision care, especially refractive error and early disease detection, and to eliminate vision impairment and avoidable blindness, thereby raising the quality of life for all people, everywhere and helping to reduce disability and poverty for those in need.

Brien Holden Vision Institute is a social enterprise, investing the revenues from its work into creating scientific solutions and developing and delivering eye care and education programs around the world. Visit www.brienholdenvision.org

The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.

CONTACT: Sequential Brands Group
         Elizabeth Traub
         (212) 518-4771 x105
         etraub@sbg-ny.com
        
         Jaime Cassavechia
         (212) 518-4771 x108
         jcassavechia@sbg-ny.com

Source: Sequential Brands Group via GLOBE NEWSWIRE