How Britain’s oldest joke captured cinema

Client: Specsavers, MG OMD

Specsavers, famed for its iconic “Should’ve” catchphrase, partnered with Digital Cinema Media (DCM) and MG OMD to reinvigorate the beloved slogan in UK cinemas.

Subverting the safety of the cinematic preshow, the six-month campaign delivered a series of spoofed errors to fool Cineworld’s audiences. These included on-screen silhouettes of cleaners, upside-down text, and a reversed “Turn Your Phone Off” message, all designed to mimic projection or production mistakes. The audience was momentarily duped, only to be let in on the joke as the punchline landed.

The response was strong: 4 in 5 said they’d consider Specsavers in future, 90% intended to take action after seeing the TYPO creative, and one-third planned to book an appointment. Over half recalled the campaign, with two-thirds likely to recommend the brand.

Specsavers proved that, even after 20 years, its should’ve humour still has perfect vision.