9m Vision Express axes Saatchi

Optician chain Vision Express has fired Saatchi & Saatchi from its 9m ad account, just two weeks after the launch of its first campaign, and has handed the business to Ammirati Puris Lintas.

Optician chain Vision Express has fired Saatchi & Saatchi from its 9m ad account, just two weeks after the launch of its first campaign, and has handed the business to Ammirati Puris Lintas.

Saatchi won the account in April after pitching against APL and St Luke’s (MW April 9). But it appears the client was unimpressed with the heavyweight ad-vertising campaign Saatchi launched at the end of last month.

It uses the strapline “There’s a revolution in sight” and has a poster showing a man with a clenched fist above the copy explaining the Vision Express “manifesto”. This reads: “No gimmicky offers. Clear pricing. Genuine one hour service. No ifs, no buts money-back policy.” It has appeared on 2,000 48-sheet posters around the country, with plans to move it on to television.

There were further plans to beam the words “the revolution is coming” onto the side of the Houses of Parliament and also to cut crop circles in the shape of spectacles.

It is understood that Vision Express has handed the account to APL without a further pitch, though it is unclear if the current campaign will continue. Neither of the agencies would comment and Vision Express group product and marketing director Des Taylor was unobtainable at press time.