World-First Campaign Reveals Vision Issues in Real-Time

In the lead-up to World Optometry Day (March 23), 1001 Optometry has unveiled 'The Hidden Eye Test' campaign, developed in collaboration with VML, and AI artist Prospex Park. Faced with increasing rates of eye decline, estimated to soon impact half of Australians despite 90% of conditions being preventable with early diagnosis, 1001 Optometry sought to show people they needed their eyes tested, rather than telling them.

The text was meticulously crafted to only be visible to blurry eyes. Harnessing advanced AI capabilities to craft the perfect combination of composition, colours, contrast, models, wardrobe, foreground and background, this campaign marks a world-first in outdoor advertising with a message that changes depending on the health of your eyes. If you see the words ‘eye test’, ‘eye scan’, or ‘eyecare’, it means your vision is impaired and you need to visit a 1001 Optometry store to get a professional diagnosis. If you don’t see it, but their high-fashion frames or sunglasses caught your eye, you’ll need to visit an 1001 Optometry store to get those too.

Edward Lee, retail and optometry director at 1001 Optometry commented, “With nearly half of Australians affected by eye conditions that are often preventable through early diagnosis, we sought to create a campaign that forces people to reevaluate their eye health. ‘The Hidden Eye Test’ is a wake-up call. This isn’t just a campaign—it’s a movement to improve and protect Australia's eye health for the future. Too many Australians wait until their eyesight has significantly declined before seeking help. We wanted to create something that would make people confront their eye health, take action, and book a test before it’s too late.”

The ads were strategically distributed across billboards, social media, and retail channels, each designed to target different vision conditions. Based on viewing distance, the hidden text can indicate vision issues such as near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and even reveal the early signs of conditions like cataracts or glaucoma. Additionally, they raise awareness of more serious health issues, such as diabetes, where impaired vision can often serve as an early warning sign.

Jack Delmonte, creative director at VML, added, “This campaign is the first eye test where if you pass, you fail. Going beyond the brief of simply telling people to book an eye test, we created an interactive experience that lets people recognise potential vision issues firsthand on their daily commutes. So many of us overlook the importance of eye health until it’s too late, this campaign bridges that disconnect by providing a fun, engaging way to highlight the issue. It’s a powerful way to drive action and they look so much sexier than your stock standard eye chart, right?"

The campaign was developed with a pioneering AI artist, Prospex Park. Taking almost an entire year of R&D, the innovative process demanded a careful blend of creativity and collaboration, especially as AI continues to be an emerging frontier in the realm of traditional advertising.

AI artist Prospex Park explained, “I combined several AI tools and workflows to achieve the final illusion. That included using ComfyUI with the Flux model, trained on my own artwork, along with an older Stable Diffusion model originally designed for embedding QR codes into images, and MidJourney to generate high-quality photoreal imagery. Final touches, including retouching and compositing, were done by hand in Photoshop to refine the visuals and maintain my artistic style.”