Specsavers artist collaborations pass $2.5 million for The Fred Hollows Foundation

Are Media’s marie claire ran a campaign for Specsavers’ tenth limited-edition artist collaboration that delivered a 2.91% click-through rate on native content. The range was designed with Pitjantjatjara woman and Ernabella artist Atipalku Intjalki and raises funds for The Fred Hollows Foundation.

Specsavers developed the campaign, The Visionary Edit, with its agency, EssenceMediacom. According to Are Media, the native content beat industry benchmarks and short-form video recorded a completion rate above 83%.

According to Specsavers, its 10 limited-edition artist collaborations have contributed more than $2.5 million to The Fred Hollows Foundation. The partnership, now in its 15th year, has raised more than $11.5 million for sight-saving work.

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How the campaign ran

marie claire built the campaign for what Are Media describes as a culturally engaged and fashion-conscious audience. The editorial content covered Intjalki’s practice, the artwork's origins, and the link between the collection and Specsavers’ support for the foundation.

The campaign ran across print, digital, social, and video. It ended with a gallery event at D’Lan Contemporary in Sydney, hosted by marie claire Editor Georgie McCourt. The event showed Intjalki’s original works alongside the collection and included conversations with representatives from Ernabella Arts, Specsavers, and The Fred Hollows Foundation about art, Country, collaboration, and Indigenous eye health.

Specsavers on purpose-led marketing

Imogen Blaskett, Marketing Manager – Awareness and Consideration at Specsavers, said the campaign showed that commercial performance and social impact could reinforce one another when purpose was built into a partnership.

“This has never been about putting a new collection on the shelf. We wanted people to understand the extraordinary creative and cultural story behind Atipalku Intjalki’s work, while shining a light on the importance of accessible eye care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” said Blaskett.

“This year marks 15 years of Specsavers partnering with The Fred Hollows Foundation, with more than $11.5 million raised to support sight-saving work. Through 10 Limited-Edition artist collaborations, we’ve contributed more than $2.5 million, showcasing how purpose-led products and compelling storytelling can create meaningful customer engagement while delivering real impact.

“Partnering with marie claire gave us the authority and editorial depth to tell the story behind the collection in a way conventional advertising could not. It allowed audiences to understand not only what we had created, but who we had created it with, what inspired it and the impact it could help deliver.”

Publisher and agency perspective

“The strongest brand partnerships give audiences a reason to care beyond the product itself,” said McCourt.

“Atipalku’s work, the purpose of the collection and Specsavers’ support for The Fred Hollows Foundation gave us an important and multilayered story to tell. Our role was to bring those elements together with the context, care and editorial credibility they deserved.”

Maddison Jones, Associate Director at EssenceMediacom, said the partnership showed media could create value beyond reach.

“We wanted to connect the beautiful story behind Atipalku Intjalki’s artwork with marie claire’s smart, impact-driven audience in a way that felt genuinely authentic,” said Jones.

“Rich storytelling helped transform the frame launch into something audiences could understand, engage with and act on. It is an example of media not only building attention, but bringing a community together around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and creating meaningful business and social outcomes.”

The Limited-Edition Specsavers x Atipalku Intjalki collection is available in all Specsavers stores and online. Specsavers donates $25 from every pair sold to The Fred Hollows Foundation.