British optometry retailer Specsavers is bringing its internationally recognized tagline to life in Canada with a new, integrated campaign.

The “Should’ve Gone to Specsavers” positioning has been a staple for the brand in other markets for 20 years. However, when the brand launched in Canada about a year and a half ago, it opted to take a different tack, debuting in the marketplace with fresh positioning – a campaign called “That’s Specsavers Love” – that was intended to drive awareness for the brand as it mounted an ambitious strategy to invest $10 million in Canadian markets and launch 200 stores across the country by the end of 2024.

“We always knew we wanted to introduce Canadians to ‘Should’ve Gone to Specsavers,’ but we needed the timing to be right,” explains Catherine Walsh, director of marketing for Specsavers Canada. “The ‘That’s Specsavers Love’ campaign was successful in driving brand awareness as Specsavers expanded across provinces, introducing our core values of accessibility and quality. … The strength of ‘Should’ve Gone to Specsavers’ is the gentle reminder it gives Canadians of all ages to look after their eye health while also making them smile.”

As with “That’s Specsavers Love,” the new marketing push doesn’t take itself too seriously. The tongue-in-cheek nature of its advertising has become a signature for the brand, and especially the “Should’ve Gone to Specsavers” strategy – no matter what market it’s being executed in. Developed by its in-house creative team, called The Agency, the Canadian campaign will consist of TV, OOH (including transit), radio and digital, all rolling out this spring.

The centrepiece of the push is a 30-second spot – one of four that will run over the next year – that features a father and son out for a fishing trip on the lake. The son, worried, asks his father if he has seen the boat keys, and the father tells him that he hasn’t – while casting his line with the keys attached in place of a fishing lure.

“Our creative team wanted the script to feel Canadian, without feeling too far away from what has been successfully used in the U.K. The result is a campaign that looks and feels Canadian, with an eyesight gag that nods to various ‘Should’ve Gone to Specsavers’ moments,” Walsh says. “Canadians love the outdoors and spend a lot of time enjoying activities in nature, especially as we head into the spring and summer months. We wanted to take a twist on these familiar moments to gently remind them to look after their eyes.”

The hope with this campaign is to get Canadians to look after their eyes, she adds – while also driving demand for eye exams and eyewear as the brand expands across B.C., Alberta and Ontario.

“A Specsavers survey, conducted by Leger in 2022, showed that one in four Canadians who do not wear corrective glasses have not had an eye exam in over 10 years, and 10% of this group have not had an eye exam in all of their lifetime,” Walsh says. “We want to change this.”

Media Experts handled the media planning, strategy and buy across all channels for the campaign.