Specsavers #OOH "Contact Lens Rookies Welcome"

Audience

The campaign targets 45–59-year-old glasses wearers who have never worn contact lenses. For that group the obstacle to accepting a trial in-store is not necessarily cost or lifestyle, but a psychological 'ick' about putting something in their eye for the first time. The work addresses that reluctance directly.

The campaign

Rather than pretending contact lenses are instantly easy, the campaign follows a cast of real people, including influencers and comedy creators, across channels as they attempt contact lenses for the first time, capturing the clumsy early attempts before they arrive at the moment they finally get it right. The creative idea is built around a simple truth: contact lenses don't always come naturally. But they will.

Specsavers deliberately doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable bit. Putting something in your eye can feel strange, and struggling at first doesn't mean contact lenses aren't for you, it's simply part of learning. By making those first attempts visible, the campaign aims to reassure people they are not alone in finding it difficult.

Where it runs

The campaign runs across BVOD, SVOD, YouTube, digital, social and out-of-home from 5 October to 1 November. The same cast of talent features across channels, marking Specsavers' first fully integrated use of influencers across its channel mix.

Richard James on the awkwardness

Richard James, Global Creative Director at Specsavers Creative, told us: "We're so used to advertising making everything look effortless, but that's actually the wrong message when it comes to contact lenses. We wanted to start by admitting something that anyone who has tried them will know: it can be a bit weird at first. You blink, you miss, you try again, and sometimes you wonder if you're ever going to get the hang of it. But that's exactly the point. Nobody starts out as a contact lens natural, so we wanted to make those first attempts the hero, rather than pretend they don't happen."

Credits

The campaign was created by Specsavers Creative, with Manning Gottlieb OMD handling UK media and Tangerine leading social. Named credits include Director of Marketing (Awareness & Consideration) Victoria Clarke, Head of Broadcast and Consumer PR & Social Lisa Hale, Marketing Innovation Lead Christopher Rodaway, Lead Creative Business Partner Felicity Pelly, Motion Designers Eva-Marie Embleton and Abbie Coughlin, Creative Integrated Producer Amy Straker-Lonnen, and Creative TV Producers Joanna Brock and Sam Lock.