Astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield Helps Specsavers Customers Get Better Eye Care

Specsavers Canada, a leading eyecare and eyewear provider, has launched a new integrated national marketing campaign with Canadian astronaut and pilot Col. Chris Hadfield. Created specifically for the Canadian market and driven by the brand’s mission to make eyecare and eyewear accessible to all, the new campaign could not have launched at a better time with 42 per cent of Canadians overdue for an eye exam, according to a recent Specsavers survey.

Developed by Specsavers’ in-house agency, Specsavers Creative, and Canadian Marketing team, the campaign encourages Canadians to prioritise their eye health, leaning on the brand’s signature light-hearted humour and the shared passion for eye health between Specsavers and Col. Hadfield to engage audiences in this important conversation.

“Our new partnership with Canadian icon Col. Chris Hadfield marks a major milestone for Specsavers in Canada. Our purpose of changing lives through better sight is the foundation of the campaign and partnership,” says Catherine Walsh, Marketing Director at Specsavers Canada. “Not only is Col. Hadfield the first Canadian to walk in space, he’s beloved and highly respected by Canadians of all ages. His authenticity and passion for eye health will help Specsavers to encourage everyone to take care of their eyes, while delivering the message with the signature Specsavers wit and human tone of voice.”

Produced over three days in Toronto, the 30-second TV spot 'Mispronounce 2.0,' as well as the standalone 15-second version, expertly bring Specsavers’ trademark comedic brand platform to life, proving a perfect match for Col. Hadfield’s wit and sense of humour. A continuation of the brand previous ad, Mispronounce, both spots open with a customer inside a Specsavers Canada retail store, mispronouncing 'optical coherence tomography' to staff.

When Col. Hadfield tries to help, other customers jump in, offering increasingly ridiculous attempts at sounding it out. Filled with fun, light hearted moments (the surprise realisation that an iconic Canadian hero is there to help; two customers trying to pronounce optical coherence tomography when it is literally spelled out right over their heads!), the 30-second spot closes with Col. Hadfield saying, "It’s not rocket science” while arching his eyebrow in a comedic manner that doubles as a knowing wink to the audience.

“Col. Chris Hadfield has always had a natural ability to connect with people,” says Richard James, global creative director of Specsavers Creative. “When developing this campaign, we wanted to find a fun way that allowed him to show up as his authentic self and do what he loves most: storytelling and educating Canadians.”

The campaign’s photography style positions Col. Hadfield in his ‘natural element’ as an astronaut: in space, while the green background and lighting are nods to the brand’s familiar warm, knowledgeable, down to earth positioning.

Two headlines shape the campaign and connect Col. Hadfield to its purpose of raising eye health awareness and the benefits of OCT to Canadians. “I thought I’d seen it all – then I had an OCT scan” and “Space age tech has landed at Specsavers."

The omnichannel campaign lives across broadcast and connected TV, online video, digital and static out-of-home, broadcast and digital radio, digital and social ads, and a campaign landing page on Specsavers.ca. The campaign also features an article in The Globe & Mail in both print and digital, in addition to earned articles across local print and digital outlets.

With the intention to reach all Canadians with this campaign to reinforce the importance of regular eye exams, it was vital for Specsavers to reach Canadians where they are with a presence across all platforms, paying special attention to the 45+ audience. The involvement of Canadian hero, Col. Hadfield, enables Specsavers to connect with Canadians in a unique way culturally that the brand hopes will turn attention into action, and ultimately, improved eye health for all Canadians.  

Following the September campaign launch, Specsavers is rolling out an exclusive three-part video series featuring Col. Hadfield. In this video series, the Canadian hero shares personal stories from his life in outer space and down here on Earth, including his own eye health journey and experiences. The long-form series, featuring Naomi Barber, clinical services director at Specsavers, alongside Col. Hadfield, will live on Specsavers’ YouTube channel.