BRINGING BACK
THE SOUNDS
YOU MISSED
MOST.
A campaign that placed Specsavers at the heart of Irish community life. Inspiring older generations to get back out there after Covid by showcasing the sounds they missed most.
THE CHALLENGE
Specsavers was expanding their audiology services. Connecting with the over-60s audience had become increasingly important. This demographic was the target of the brief.
But there was a deeper context. Covid had hit this audience hardest. Many older people had withdrawn from community life, isolated from the social activities that gave their lives meaning and joy.
The challenge wasn't just promoting hearing services. It was inspiring older generations to re-engage with life. To show them what they were missing. To give them a clear call to action: get back out there and find the right community for you.
THE APPROACH
Headcase envisaged a role for Specsavers in inspiring the older generation by showcasing the wealth of social activity that exists at Irish community level. From music sessions to choir groups to GAA matches, the sounds that make Ireland feel like home.
“Bringing back the sounds you missed most” became a full-service creative and production campaign. We forged local community partnerships to create authentic stories, not scripted ads.
The campaign delivered a social content series and TVC that aired during the GAA semi-finals, placing Specsavers at the heart of a relevant cultural conversation. Each piece showed real people returning to real communities, rediscovering the sounds they'd been missing.
The best way to inspire others is to get inspired yourself. We found people who embodied that principle and let their stories do the persuading.
THE WORK
Community Partnerships
We partnered with local Irish communities to tell authentic stories. Choir groups. Music sessions. GAA clubs. Places where over-60s were already gathering, already feeling the joy of connection.
These weren't actors in fabricated scenarios. They were real people in real communities, sharing genuine emotions about returning to the activities and sounds they loved. That authenticity made the campaign impossible to ignore.
Social Content Series & TVC
The social content series captured intimate moments of reconnection. A woman hearing her choir again. A man returning to the GAA club. Simple, powerful stories that showed what hearing well makes possible.
The TVC aired during the GAA semi-finals, reaching millions at a moment when Irish community spirit was at its peak. The timing and placement reinforced the campaign's core message about belonging and connection.
THE RESULTS
The campaign placed Specsavers at the heart of a relevant, cultural conversation about community, connection, and the importance of hearing well.
Results and audience reaction showed this to be a uniquely successful campaign. People weren't just watching ads. They were seeing their own lives reflected back to them. Their own communities. Their own reasons to stay connected.
The over-60s audience responded because the campaign respected them. It didn't patronize or preach. It showed them possibilities and invited them back to life they'd been missing.
Specsavers proved that when you inspire instead of sell, when you celebrate community instead of just promoting services, you create campaigns people actually care about.
“The best way to inspire others is to get inspired yourself.”
— Andrew Casey, CEO, Headcase