September 10, 2015

Smart Vision

Description: Indoor sunglasses :-)
Main Pitch: "Magnifies, clarifies and protects your eyes"
Main Offer: $19.99 for one with cleaning & storage case
Bonus: Double the offer (just pay P&H), reusable screen cleaner (free)
Marketer: Ontel
Producer: Hutton-Miller
Watch the spot

A follow-up to Big Vision and technically not sunglasses (screenglasses?), these nonetheless get filed in that category because the concept was tried before under the HD Vision brand (see Computer Eyes). The execution is worlds apart, however, and the first attempt was missing the magnification benefit, which is really the only benefit that holds up under scrutiny.

Improving "color and clarity" doesn't make as much sense to me indoors, especially when it comes to using tablets like the iPad, which already has that superb Retina Display technology. As for the idea that "harmful rays" cause eye fatigue, I think the argument lacks credibility.

Moving to the commercial, it would be redundant for me to praise the Hutton-Miller team. Everyone knows I admire the top-shelf work they put out, so I tend to keep the compliments to a minimum. However, this time around I have to call out something small but special that maybe only a fellow writer could appreciate: They always work in a clever pun during the offer. In this commercial the VO says, "And to make this offer really easy on the eyes ..."

Did you catch that? Pay attention to that part of their commercials going forward. It's impressive how they always manage to find the appropriate phrase!

S7 Analysis: Success or failure in this instance boils down to whether America thinks, or can be convinced, that amber lens-style eye protection is needed indoors. Otherwise, this is just Big Vision with a colored lens.