Specsavers has partnered with Cineworld Cinemas to bring its famous Should’ve humour to the big screen.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Specsavers becomes the first advertiser to take over non-standard media placements, humorously disrupting the cinema environment.

The partnership, arranged by Manning Gottlieb OMD and Digital Cinema Media (DCM), the UK’s leading cinema advertising company, includes a takeover of Cineworld’s “turn your phones off” messaging, a media-first co-branded trailer spot, and a takeover of DCM’s opening and closing idents.

Specsavers has partnered with Cineworld Cinemas to bring its famous Should’ve humor to the big screen. In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Specsavers becomes the first advertiser to take over non-standard media placements, humorously disrupting the cinema environment.

The partnership, arranged by Manning Gottlieb OMD and Digital Cinema Media (DCM), includes a takeover of Cineworld’s “turn your phones off” messaging, a media-first co-branded trailer spot, and a takeover of DCM’s opening and closing idents.

DCM Studios, the creative arm of DCM, collaborated closely with Specsavers’ in-house creative agency to produce a series of exclusive assets for cinema.

All the familiar in-house messages have been reimagined with Specsavers’ signature humor, showcasing a series of mishaps caused by people in the cinema environment who really “Should’ve gone to Specsavers.”

These include the famous “turn your phones off” message being misread as “turn on,” cleaners vacuuming in front of the screen because they can’t see the film trailers have started, and a decorator painting the big screen black, mistaking it for a wall.

All elements of the campaign are live this week, running for six months across a range of blockbuster films including Despicable Me 4, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

The content will be shown at different times throughout the partnership and during Cineworld’s iconic pre-show.

Specsavers’ Marketing Services Director, Victoria Clarke, said, “We loved the idea of a first-of-its-kind partnership opportunity to take Specsavers to the cinema, and what better way to start a movie than with a good laugh at a great should’ve moment. This activation is part of our ongoing Should’ve Gone to Specsavers campaign, running alongside a broader suite of creative media, which includes TV, radio, OOH, press, and digital.”

Richard James, Global Creative Director at Specsavers, added, “Specsavers’ unique brand of humor lends itself perfectly to these new media formats, and we hope we can entertain the audience just as much as what follows on the big screen.”

Chloe Jukes, Partnerships Account Director at MGOMD, said, “Should’ve Gone to Specsavers is an iconic campaign that’s been entertaining audiences for over 20 years, so partnering with DCM felt like the perfect opportunity to bring entertaining Should’ve moments to the big screen.”

Jeremy Kolesar, Creative Director at DCM Studios, added, “We’re thrilled to have worked with Specsavers on this unique campaign. Taking over different touchpoints across the preshow will deliver impact and drive engagement with Specsavers’ target audience, maximising their wider campaign while adding some laughter and joy to the whole cinema experience.”