BY KEEPING in theme with the brand’s ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ campaign, eagle-eyed optical staff at Specsavers Swindon helped clinch a top-10 placing in Campaign Magazines Regional Press Ads of the Year, 2013.

Specsavers submitted an advert that put an unfortunate decision made by Swindon Council’s contractors’ in the spotlight. It showed double yellow lines painted in an alleyway too narrow to drive a car down, and barely even wide enough to fit a motorcycle.

The alleyway, in Newhall Street, measured 1.4 metres wide and hit national headlines after it featured in the Adver back in April.

Thanks to Swindon Council’s blooper, Specsavers has been selected by the magazine to appear in its top 10 regional press ads of the year.

The magazine recognised the clever advert in its December edition, stating: “It was a manna from heaven for the quick-off-the-mark Specsavers creative team.”

Speaking at the time, a Swindon Council spokesman said: “Local residents have asked us to deal with illegal parking in alleyways, but it seems that our contractors forgot just how big cars actually are when they painted this one. We will be taking it up with them.”

Campaign is the leading weekly magazine for the advertising and communications industry.