Should’ve gone to Specsavers: Relive the best Specsavers ads

There are few advertising slogans more embedded in British culture than “Should’ve gone to Specsavers.” Since launching it in 2002, Specsavers has built a marketing empire on the back of visual misunderstandings, comedic timing, and the kind of everyday disasters we all dread happening to us.

From accidental moon landings to confused cartoon posties, here’s a rundown of the Specsavers ads that had the whole nation saying that famous phrase.

 

Thunderbirds Are Go! (2008)

Thunderbirds in a Specsavers ad? It was a bold move at the time, but it totally worked. Bringing back the classic puppets was a clever way to grab attention, especially for parents who grew up with them and a younger generation seeing them for the first time. The result is a big bang in both laughs and brand recognition.

 

Postman Pat (2010)

Pat, you had one job… Postman Pat’s reign of chaos begins by accidentally sitting on his glasses, leading to erratic off-road driving and some interesting deliveries. Specsavers takes a playful swing at a childhood icon, reminding us that even the most reliable British postie might need an eye test now and then.

 

Mr Happy (2010)

Turns out Mr Happy isn’t so happy with his new specs. After missing out on a bunch of extras, his mood takes a nosedive, venting his frustration on his pals. The spot ends with the classic line, “Looks like someone should’ve gone to Specsavers” – A phrase coined by longtime creative director Graham Daldry.

 

Houston, We Have A Problem (2011)

Houston, we have a hilarious misunderstanding. Five NASA astronauts fresh from Space, glide down to Earth and land at… Luton airport. This ad is classic Specsavers. Completely deadpan, slightly surreal, and rooted in the quiet chaos of British air travel.

 

Ferry (2011)

A couple arrive at what they think is their ferry when it quickly becomes clear they’ve made a military grade mistake when they find themselves onboard an aircraft carrier surrounded by fighter jets. What starts like a Saga holiday ends like Top Gun.

 

Sauna (2011)

You think you’re watching a relaxed sauna scene. Steam rising, ambient calm, only to find it’s actually the kitchen of a busy restaurant and that’s Gordon Ramsay slicing salami with surgical precision! Specsavers nailed the punchline without a single word of dialogue, letting the awkward silence and Ramsay’s trademark intensity do the work.

 

Cat with No Pulse (2013)

It takes a rare kind of professional certainty to diagnose a cat with no pulse in what turns out to be a fur hat. But that’s exactly what happens here, as a vet springs into action over something that’s never meowed in its life. This is medical drama dialled up to eleven, all over a bit of knitwear.

 

John Cleese and the Specsavers Fawlty Car (2016)

Reviving Basil Fawlty was a gamble, but when John Cleese agrees to whack a misbehaving car with a tree branch one more time, you let him. This ad recreates one of Fawlty Towers’ most famous scenes with a modern twist. Basil’s meltdown is entirely due to him mistaking a Police car for his own. It’s a nostalgic deep cut that delighted both fans of the series and younger viewers. Cleese himself was involved in the writing, adding authenticity to a beautifully chaotic revival.

 

Little Click (2016)

If you’ve ever had a rough day at work, spare a thought for John Thomas, the museum guard at the centre of the “Little Click” ad, whose one innocent switch flick as part of an end-of-day routine ends in a priceless catastrophe. One small click, one big disaster. It’s yet another successful Specsavers advert in saying more with less.

 

Which one is your favourite? Let us know which ones you remember, or which still make you laugh in the comments!