In partnership with Specsavers, Rick Astley has re-recorded his iconic hit single “Never Gonna Give You Up” with the lyrics people have misheard for years.
Developed by creative agency Golin, ‘The Misheard Version’ sees Astley re-record his iconic 1987 smash hit ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, using the ‘amusing lyrics’ that people have apparently misheard for years – such as “never gonna run around with dessert spoons” instead of “never gonna run around and desert you”, or even: “you wouldn’t catch nits from any other guy” and “your aunt’s been naked…”.
Created in the typical tongue-in-cheek style that Specsavers is known for, the campaign has a serious message behind it, highlighting how common mishearing can be and how to look after your hearing.
“I’ve noticed my hearing changing over time so recently had a hearing test at Specsavers.
It showed I have some hearing loss, which I was not fully aware of. It’s probably a result of playing the drums as a kid and working in the music industry, so they’ve given me my first hearing aids.
It’s important to remember that everyone’s hearing is different. Some people lose high notes, others lose low frequency sounds.
I’d encourage anyone to get their hearing tested if they notice any changes, so they don’t lose the sounds or music they love.”
Rick Astley
Lisa Hale, Head of Consumer PR, Social and Brand Activation, Specsavers, said: ‘This follows our brilliant work with musician and TV personality Jools Holland last year and with Irish folk singer Mary Black earlier this year, and is designed to grab people’s attention and get the nation talking.
“Finding the right musician to front this campaign was so important for this to work. Rick is the perfect fit for Specsavers and the fact he has hearing loss, means he can talk about this important topic in a really authentic and genuine way.
“We also know, through recent research, that mishearing things and asking people to repeat themselves are the most common hearing loss symptoms. So that’s why this campaign should resonate with the nation.’
James Thomas, Director of Trading, Audiology, at Specsavers, said: ‘One of the key take outs from this campaign is that everyone’s hearing is different and hopefully this message can help to allay people’s fears and reduce the stigma that we know is associated with hearing loss.
‘People often wait a shocking 10 years to address their hearing loss. This needs to change and we hope this campaign can start to make people feel differently about their own hearing.’
Alex Wood, Executive Creative Director, Golin said: “Hearing loss can be a scary, isolating topic, but everyone recognises the experience of mishearing a song. It’s a much softer way into the conversation.
“By bringing some levity and Rick’s personal experience to life, the aim was to create something people actively want to talk about and share – rather than avoid for feeling too heavy.”
