Monitoring eye health in children is challenging for parents as young children often don’t realise they're not seeing properly so it’s hard for parents to spot there’s a problem. So our idea needed to provide parents with the tools for identifying potential eye issues but in a way that children would engage with.

We also needed to adopt the right tone. Family life is hectic so it’s no wonder eye checks slip off the radar and finger-wagging could see parents switch off from our message rather than embrace it. We needed to nudge parents into action by creating something that positively entertained and fitted into their daily routine.

Our solution…a storybook incorporating eye checks on focus, colour, detail distinction and astigmatism to deliver an ‘eye check by stealth’ that would be interactive, engaging and fun for parent and child.

Advance Media Outreach (22/2/16 – 12/3/16)

Lined up editorial under embargo to hit during launch week:

• Media outreach including news, parenting, health, literary and lifestyle.

• Media interviews with celebrity dad Peter Andre (chosen as his children wear glasses) were arranged to ensure high profile mainstream media coverage.

Launch event (13/3/16)

Drove mass awareness by placing content to appear on Sunday afternoon/evening when parents have more time to peruse:

• Media, parenting bloggers, celebrity parents and their children invited to zoo-themed launch party. Celebrities invited for their appeal to different Boots customers and to provide route into non-health specific media.

• Images distributed to showbiz and picture desks.

Launch week (14/3/16 – 31/3/16)

Delivered ongoing editorial to continuously re-hit audience, increasing memorability to encourage action:

• Media relations across all media segments

• Agreed Peter Andre social posts

• Campaign extended across Boots in-store, digital and advertising channels

Tier 1. Outcomes/Awareness

• 2nd most popular UK kid’s book with 450,000 books picked up in-store and 109,093 visits to digital book

• 39% of those who read the story online continued to test results and 15% then clicked appointment page/store locator

• Brand measure of ‘inspiring’ rose 74%. Brand measures of ‘supportive’, ‘caring’ and ‘full of new ideas’ moved noticeably.

Tier 2. Knowledge/Consideration:

• 35.4million reach from editorial and social coverage

• 23% target audience penetration for online editorial and 12.6% for print

• 100% positive messaging with 66% of coverage delivering Boots eye health expertise and 66% Boots ‘Feel Good’ brand identity

• Influencer earned social reached 17million with engagement rate of 5% (bloggers) and <3.63% (celebrities)

• Peter Andre Facebook video received 32,000 views and 1,900 likes within 24hrs

Tier 3: Outputs/Business Results:

• 11% year on year uplift in children’s eye tests at Boots Opticians