‘Positive shock factor’: Why Boots Opticians is having ‘a reset moment’

Boots Opticians is going through a “reset moment”, with a new campaign focused on “doing things differently” to stand out in a crowded market.

The ‘Because There’s Only One Choice’ campaign is aimed at “driving fame” and encouraging consumers to “think differently” about the retailer – or even “think about Boots Opticians at all”.

“The way we will move the business forward and the brand forward is through doing things very differently, being disruptive,” says Boots Opticians’ head of marketing, Guy Smith.

Launching tomorrow (16 January), the campaign celebrates the reasons why people choose Boots Opticians, executed via a through-the-line integrated campaign with media agency The River Group. The creative will span OOH, TV, radio, paid and owned social, email, PR and in-store marketing.

Everybody knows Boots, but not everybody knows Boots Opticians.

Guy Smith, Boots Opticians

The TV advert consists of four scenes showing what is possible when you can see clearly – such as playing sports – while also highlighting the retailer’s glasses and contact lens offering.

The ‘Because’ asset, written in the well-known Boots font, will be used as a launchpad for future creative work. Smith insists this is “definitely not a one-off short burst campaign”.

“The whole brief really was we want something that will live on and something that will continue to drive that positivity, and really give us an anchor point to focus on,” he says.

“I can imagine a world where even customers and the public start to comment on social posts, using the ‘Because’ in their own language.”

‘Positive shock factor’

Smith explains the campaign is launching at “the peak period” within the optical industry and a time when health is “front of mind” for consumers.

The retailer’s research found, for example, many consumers have been putting off having eye tests. The campaign hopes to “move the dial” to get people thinking about the positive outcomes an eye test could bring.

This approach drove the campaign’s focus on “positive outcomes”, with the sports aspect of the film inspired by Smith’s life experience. The marketer’s seven-year-old football obsessed son has eyesight challenges. Boots’ MiSight contact lenses for children, which help to control the progression of myopia or short-sightedness, have allowed him to continue to play football.

According to Smith, this example demonstrates that contact lenses can be used by children – a fact many people don’t know – and helps create a “positive shock factor”.

That’s how I feel we will cut through – having that deeper connection with customers.

Guy Smith, Boots Opticians

Though the film is important in the marketing mix, social media is a “key part” of the strategy. Boots Opticians is starting to work with creators and influencers, as well as using employees as “internal creators”. Smith notes a focus on social is important, particularly as TikTok is becoming “more of a search engine”.

The retailer launched its ‘See What’s Possible’ podcast with broadcaster Myleene Klass in October. The podcast is intended to “get people excited about the brand” and is an example of the “newness” Boots Opticians is putting into its marketing mix. Smith believes any new avenues the brand explores need to feel “natural and native”, not as if the retailer is using a channel for the sake of it.

“It’s another example of how we build that connection with customers, so it’s not just sell, sell, sell,” he says.

The effectiveness of the new campaign will be measured primarily in terms of whether the creative is “building that emotional connection with customers” through three key “growth pillars”: clinical expertise, eye care expertise, and styles and solutions to suit every customer.

“It’s all about building that meaningful difference in the industry and in the market. So, that’s how I feel we will cut through – having that deeper connection with customers,” says Smith.

Data-driven mentality

Being affiliated with the wider Boots masterbrand has its benefits. Smith believes it helps to have that “continuous thread of recognisable Boots assets” feature in the campaign creative.

“We want to face into that and focus on the heritage of Boots, and the recognisable brand, and the favourability of Boots and the likeability of Boots, but also a lot of the technological advances that we’re bringing into the market,” he explains, citing the Optomap eyesight test as an example.

None of our competitors can offer that [Advantage Card] related discount or points where you can go and shop at a retailer like Boots as part of the service.

Guy Smith, Boots Opticians

Being part of the wider Boots masterbrand also means the Opticians marketing team – made up of around 25 people – can tap into expertise across the business and make the most of shared agency resource.

It also means the team can tap into the Boots’ Advantage Card customer base. For example, Advantage Card customers can earn points for purchases and partake in the contact lens reward plan with extra benefits.

“None of our competitors can offer that related discount or points where you can go and shop at a retailer like Boots as part of the service. There’s more to do in that space, but there’s lots of benefit to being on the Advantage Card and being a Boots Opticians customer,” says Smith.

Interim Boots marketing director Laura Gooday previously told Marketing Week how the different marketing teams across the business work together closely, their job being to “connect the dots and create customer-led parts of our propositions”.

While he agrees, Smith notes it is important for Boots Opticians to also be recognised as a separate entity with standalone opticians stores, allowing the team to do more with the look and feel of the store.

“Everybody knows Boots, but not everybody knows Boots Opticians,” he says, calling the retailer “the best kept secret” in the optical industry.

Going forward, the marketer wants to use his background in loyalty and CRM to continue a data-driven approach, favouring data over opinion in a climate where “everybody thinks they’re a marketer”. Smith joined Boots Opticians in 2018 as head of CRM and customer data from his role as head of CRM at Asda.

“The modern brand marketer has to be very data-driven, very results focused. Particularly when you’re having conversations with shareholders, finance directors, you need to be able to back up what you’re talking about with data and science,” he adds.