LONDON — Specsavers has appointed Tangerine Communications to lead its UK social media strategy after a competitive pitch, following 12 months of award-winning work by the agency.

The agency will be responsible for delivering editorial social media strategy, digital content creation, social comms distribution and online community management in the UK for the leading chain of dispensing opticians and opthalmologists.

Tangerine was invited to take part in the three-way pitch following the success of recent projects, including the social campaign for Specsavers’ sponsorship of the Ashes, during which the brand tweeted an offer of glasses for life to spectacle-wearing batsman Jack Leach.

Specsavers’ head of marketing activation, Victoria Clarke, said: “We are delighted to have Tangerine on board leading our social comms strategy for the foreseeable future to ensure our customers are kept informed and engaged as we navigate these difficult times.

“The Tangerine team had already proved that they could make an impact with the award-winning Ashes campaign and ongoing social media activity. They have very ably demonstrated how integral it is for us to deliver a strategy that is customer-first, that can deliver editorially on the brand’s core objectives, and drive brand saliency and positive sentiment through creative storytelling.”

The agency team are already working on Specsavers’ new marketing platform, ‘Something To Smile About’, an integrated campaign led by PR and social.

Tangerine MD Mary Harding said: “Specsavers is famed for its marketing activity and we’re very excited to partner with them and help drive forward the value social comms can play in brand communications.

“We'll be working to implement a social media strategy which truly reflects the needs of the brand and its joint venture business partners, multiple departments and a huge network of stakeholders to deliver stand out work.”