Specsavers ‘Misheard’ Rick Astley Radio Ad Delivers a Mass Hearing Test

Following the success of Specsavers’ new audiology campaign, in which Rick Astley re-recorded his classic hit with misheard lyrics to highlight hearing loss, today the campaign goes even bigger with a new radio which extends the idea of a mass hearing test further into everyday life.

To prompt people to get their hearing tested, the 60 second media spot will seemingly play Rick Astley’s classic ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ as if part of normal song airplay. But in reality, it is the Specsavers Misheard version re-recorded by Rick, including misheard lyrics such as ‘Never gonna run around with dessert spoons’ and ‘you wouldn’t catch nits from any other guy’.

For 45 seconds of the song, listeners singing along will wonder if their ears are playing tricks on them, before actor, Rob Brydon, interjects to ask; “’Did that sound right to you?’ If it did, you might want to book a free hearing test at Specsavers today… mishearing lyrics can be an early sign of hearing loss.”

The radio campaign follows the launch of Misheard Version in late 2023. Specsavers re-recorded Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up with the wrong lyrics people have been mishearing for years – then releasing it by ‘Rick-Rolling’ the world with a tease and reveal launch which in the first 48 hours generated a staggering 8M social views (all organic). Rick’s tease post became his most viewed social post ever and the campaign delivered a 66% increase in hearing test bookings.

The campaign will be broadcast on commercial radio throughout the UK on the Heart and Magic Networks, before being extended to wider UK stations to continue surprising the public.

Creative was developed by Golin, media planning was led by Specsavers and Manning Gottlieb OMD.

Alex Wood, executive creative director, Golin, said, “The Misheard Version is a mass hearing test you can’t help but sing along to, so it felt like the natural next step to switch it for the original to Rick-Roll radio and keep prompting people to check their hearing further.”

Lisa Hale, head of PR, social and brand, Specsavers added, “Specsavers saw incredible business impact with the launch of the Misheard Version, we knew we had to find more ways for the track to come to life in culture. It’s perfectly suited to radio, so we we’re expecting big things”