TRENDSPOTTING: FIRST PERSON

5 Questions for…

New Costa CEO Holly Rush

Holly Rush

Holly Rush is an experienced, dynamic leader with a passion for building high-performance teams. In April, she was named CEO of Costa, Inc., a leading maker of polarized performance sunglasses based in Daytona Beach, FL. Costa’s parent company is Essilor International.

Prior to this appointment, Rush was president of Luxottica’s North American Wholesale Division. She has also held key leadership positions at L’Oréal and Duracell/Gillette.

Here, Rush talks with Eyecare Business about her new role with Costa, and the opportunity that sunglasses represent for eyecare professionals.

What are your goals for Costa moving forward?

The Costa brand is incredibly strong today, thanks to the great work done over the past 30+ years. We are proud to be the fastest-growing premium sunglass brand in the market.

We are excited about the runway ahead for Costa. Our first objective is to build awareness for our brand both with existing and new consumers, and then explore new markets and channels. The optical channel is a very important part of this plan—our natural next step is to provide a full suite of eyewear solutions for the ECP, including the new Costa Optical Collection launching later this year.

What differentiates Costa in the active sunwear landscape?

Costa has three clear points of difference. Our lens technology is first and foremost—our 580P lens and durable yet comfortable frame designs enhance the experience both on and off the water.

Second is the loyalty and passion of our consumers. We’ve spent over a decade cultivating and perfecting a community-based marketing approach that has resulted in a cult-like following of brand lovers.

Last but not least, this brand has a very deep and soulful purpose. Costa was born on the water over 33 years ago. We believe it’s also our calling to protect our waterways.

Can you tell us a little more about Costa’s eco initiatives?

Our goal is to create a movement around ridding the oceans of unnecessary plastic. Each year, over 20 billion plastic bottles end up in our oceans.

To raise awareness for this issue, Costa recently launched our KICK PLASTIC campaign to shed light on the problem. This includes educational programs, B2B initiatives, and industry awareness campaigns. We also went to work on reducing our own plastic footprint, and 100% of our nylon frames are made from bio-based resins.

What are the biggest opportunities for ECPs with sunwear?

The optical industry today sells only one in every 10 pair of sunglasses. Taking the lead to educate patients on why sun protection matters—and maximizing the business opportunity of premium sunglasses—is a natural win for ECPs.

Best tips for ECPs to present and sell sunwear?

You’ve got to be in it to win it.

It starts with the conversation in the exam room and extends all the way through to the merchandising and assortment of products in the dispensary. This sends a message to patients that you are serious about protecting their eyes and providing a broad offering of products.