Should’ve gone to Specsavers has turned 20. The line is now part of popular culture in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It crops up in the media; it abounds in social media as well as everyday conversations; and has even turned up in the British Parliament. Since Should’ve was created, there are now twice as many stores in the UK and Ireland (950), the brand has a presence across the world, and offers much more value glasses. Now it refers to a range of services, including hearing.
Should’ve 2.0 launched in the UK on March 4. The campaign by Specsavers’ in-house agency, The Agency, includes a first-ever collaboration with ITV and Channel 4, and a presence in gaming.
The new campaign will reach a broader audience through a wider range of media than ever before, encompassing TV, cinema, digital, social, OOH, print, radio and in-game executions, including some exciting media firsts. Media was planned and bought by MGOMD and the campaign will run throughout March and April.
At its heart is a 30-second TVC supported by 4 x 10- and 15-second shorts for YouTube, set in the diverse community of a tower block. The new edition of Should’ve is also underlined by The Proclaimers’ feel-good anthem, I’m Gonna Be (500 miles). The spots were directed by Friend London’s Ric Cantor, the awarded comedy writer and director whose credits include Mastercard, McDonald’s, Virgin, Pepsi and Da Ali G Show.
In a media first, Channel 4 and ITV will be having their own Should’ve Gone to Specsavers moments as their continuity announcers get their scripts mixed up, introducing some of the biggest shows on television, but for the wrong channel. Mix ups will occur throughout launch weekend across a number of programmes including Coronation Street, This Morning, Hollyoaks and First Dates. This is the first time Channel 4 and ITV have worked together in this way with an advertiser.
To reach new audiences, including millions of younger people and light TV viewers, Specsavers is making its first foray into gaming. Partnering with Anzu, Specsavers will have in-game Should’ve Gone to Specsavers OOH billboards across various genres from sports and motorbiking to fashion and lifestyle, and in popular titles such as Tiles Hop, Final Kick, Trackmania and Cooking Diary.
In social, Specsavers will invite people to join in with the joke and share their personal Should’ve moments on Twitter. And with research demonstrating that the line is so well known it can be played with, OOH will start to also introduce new lines, such as We thought you should know and Go on, you know you should.
The campaign also includes national press ads ‘accidentally’ printed upside down, and OOH special builds in London and Leeds with incorrectly installed 48 sheets and one in which a billboard poster’s ladder has been pasted over.
“Should’ve took a break during the last two years as we focused on delivering urgent care online and in the communities we serve,” stated Chris Carter, marketing and ecommerce director of Specsavers UK, Ireland and Spain. “This gave us time to take stock and develop Should’ve into a brand platform that better reflects who we are today, but without losing any of its magic. I think the Agency has achieved this brilliantly, showing how it can take us into the future as we continue to grow and meet customers’ needs wherever they are.”
Richard James, creative director at The Agency, added, “Should’ve’s real strength isn’t in the joke, it’s in the friendly nudge it gives people towards better sight and hearing, while putting a smile on their face. Using a location populated by diverse characters, and playing with the line to land new messages, we have successfully evolved it into a more holistic creative platform, reflecting different parts of the business across many different media to give it a new lease of life. It’s testament to the skill of our in-house creative teams that they’ve been able to deliver work that has so much stretch, all sprinkled with a generous helping of Specsavers humour.”
Credits:
Client: Specsavers
Marketing & eCommerce Director UK, Ireland & Spain: Chris Carter
Head of Marketing Activation: Victoria Clarke
Head of Marketing Strategy And Insight: Nick Rainbow
Marketing Strategist: Aimee Legge
Recruitment Marketing Lead: Elaina Le Tissier
Creative Agency: The Agency, Specsavers
Creative Director: Richard James
Creatives: Neil Brush, Simon Bougourd, Geoff Alderman, Michael McCallum, Andrea Raanaas, Bertie Rapkin & Jon Morgan.
Creative Strategist: Pollyanna Evelegh
Agency Producer: Sam Lock
Agency Senior Creative Producer: Clair Carter
Agency Junior Producer: Phoebe Hazzan
Client Partners: Rhiannon Hughes & Jade Fonteneau
Managing Director, The Agency: Nicola Wardell
Production Company: Friend London
Director: Ric Cantor
Producer: Camilla Cullen
DOP: Benedict Spence
Editor: Quin Williams @ tenthree
Music Supervision: Theodore
Audio Post-Production: Bubble TV
Post-Production: Grade at Cheat, VFX & finishing at Bubble TV
Outdoor: Talon Outdoor
Media Company: Manning Gottlieb OMD
