Specsavers Launches Augmented Reality Filter for Social Media

An augmented reality (AR) filter has been developed by Specsavers in partnership with Facebook and Instagram to show the gradual effect of four different eye conditions: glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and cataract.

Adverts will run on social media to raise awareness of the filters which can be applied on both social media platforms. Users are encouraged to toggle from mild loss to the more severe end of each condition. They can take photos or videos and share them to their personal social media channels to highlight what it would be like to live with an eye condition.

Paul Morris, director of professional advancement, said: ‘This is truly ground-breaking. We are one of the first to use any kind of AR filter on Instagram, and to use the same filter on Facebook too, and we are doing so in a new and different way because we are disrupting audiences by showing them what it’s like to lose vision. 

‘We know that 50 percent of sight loss is avoidable and our campaign aims to encourage people to take their eye health seriously. This is a truly integrated campaign, across TV and traditional marketing channels as well as social media and PR. We hope this will reach more people than ever before and create engaging and shareable content which will remind them of the importance of regular eye tests.’

The AR Filter can be accessed from https://www.facebook.com/fbcameraeffects/tryit/657353734763141/