Johnson and Johnson 2006 Annual Report Download - page 15

of Denmark, Dr. Karin McCarthy is Manager of Cosmetics
Development, a cosmetic-tints platform in the Research
and Development Center of Vistakon, a division of
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. in Jacksonville, Fla.
Koo’s won’t-be-denied competitive spirit found its kin in
Dr. McCarthy, a former Olympian who represented Denmark
in swimming events. Says Dr. McCarthy: “Our mutual friends
in the company agreed that Karren and I, along with our market
research partners, were a perfect professional tag team, able
to hand off to each other the market-based and science-based
issues that might arise as we developed this exciting new
beauty-enhancing product line for the so-called ‘Asian eye.’”
A TURNING POINT IN JAPAN A critical turn in the development
of the product was a clinical trial in Japan, which was then
essentially a virgin market for iris-enhancing lenses. In the
course of the study, Dr. McCarthy ensured the cosmetic effect
of the prototypical 1-DAY ACUVUE® DEFINE™ lens would
be appealing to Japanese consumers. Equally important was
gathering input from eye care professionals to ensure lens
design met their needs.
In turn, Koo learned that Japanese consumers preferred the
subtlest possible appearance of iris enlargement—the equiva-
lent of extra-thin eyeliner if it were an eye makeup product.
“The feedback from Japanese consumers gave Karin and me
some nuances to mull over,” recalls Koo. “We always knew we
had to stay close to the voice of the customer to get the product
right. After our clinical trial there, we made subtle refinements
that would dramatically enhance the appeal.”
1-DAY ACUVUE® DEFINE™ was launched in Korea in
November 2004 and then in Japan, the biggest Asian market,
in February 2005. Over the next year, the new lenses were
rolled out to China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand
and Malaysia. “Response has been extremely positive among
female consumers of all ages. This innovation has also
attracted new people into the contact lens category,” says Koo.
STRONG VISION FO R A V I S I O N B U S I N E S S The year 2006 also
marked the 25th anniversary of the Johnson & Johnson Vision
Care business, which—much like its beauty contact lenses for
Asian women—was created in a paradigm-shifting approach
based directly on consumer insight. ACUVUE® was the world’s
first disposable contact lens.
In its overall perspective, the Vision Care business aims
“to provide healthy vision to everyone, everywhere, every
day.” It is the global market leader in the disposable contact
lens market.
“Now, we’re blazing a new trail in the global marketplace
for contact lenses by putting greater emphasis on satisfying
the special needs and desires of customers in different geogra-
phies and cultures,” says Koo. “1-DAY ACUVUE® DEFINE™ is
a perfect example.”
V I S I O N , B E A U T I F U L L Y 13
At right: The dark outer ring embedded within the lens of the 1-DAY ACUVUE® DEFINE™ makes the iris appear larger.