Even Musicians Can Be Mis-heard

October 25th 2023 By Darcy Milner 1 minute read

Every now and then, in the world of effective campaigns, one comes along that not only perfectly captures the core of its cause but also does so with style, humour, and a fresh twist.

This successful fusion of creativity and purpose can be seen in the latest Specsavers collaboration with the famous (and some would perhaps say infamous) Rick Astley. The result is nothing short of ear-pleasing because the legendary 80’s crooner has used his voice to promote hearing health.

Astley, a popular musician and internet icon in his own right thanks to the relentless Rickrolling meme of recent times, gave his hit song "Never Gonna Give You Up" a wonderful makeover. Anyone who’s ever misheard music lyrics before obliviously singing along with the wrong words would be able to relate to the cleverly altered lyrics, which included humorous misinterpretations.

Phrases like “Never gonna run about with dessert spoons” replaced the original “Never gonna run around and desert you,” bringing a smile to the faces of longtime fans and newbies alike. A teaser video on Astley's own channels served as the campaign's introduction, and it soon gained steam, igniting a national dialogue about hearing health.
The effort, created in partnership with agency Golin, skillfully emphasises the incidence of misheard words and phrases and was designed with the characteristic wit and inventiveness of Specsavers. The campaign, which highlights the importance of good hearing health, has generated interest on a wide range of platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and a noteworthy radio partnership with Bauer Media.

In order to give the campaign more credibility, Astley uploaded his original performance on social media while acknowledging his actual hearing impairments – a aspect that makes the partnership all make sense.

The campaign not only succeeded in raising awareness, it did it in a classy and musically inventive way.

Want us to try and rustle up something along similar lines for you? We love a celebrity collab.
 

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