theme of these adverts is a character making a mistake because of poor eyesight. These include a sheep farmer who shears his sheepdog, and an elderly couple who ride the Infusion rollercoaster after mistaking the seats of the ride for a bench. Specsavers' use of Édith Piaf in advertisements has caused some adverse comment in the press, although the estate of the performer had granted full permission. Other Specsavers adverts have featured Thunderbirds, Postman Pat, Mr. Men and John Cleese as Basil Fawlty. In 2017, Specsavers officially launched a range of eyewear designed by the popstar, singer and actress Kylie Minogue. Criticism of internet retailers In March 2005, Specsavers publicly criticised Glasses Direct, an internet retailer, claiming that an internet service "did not meet required standards" and "could not offer advice from dispensing opticians". In 2006, James Murray Wells, the managing director of Glasses Direct, claimed that four major high street retailers including Specsavers were "leading a campaign to stop prescription glasses being sold over the internet". Structure The firm operates most of their stores under a 'Joint or Shared Venture Partnership', consisting of a partnership between an Optometry Director and a Retail Director. This is similar to a franchise agreement; however, unlike many franchises, a customer from one branch of the company should expect to get equal service from another branch. It also differs in that Specsavers own shares in the franchisee business rather than just providing goods and services under a franchise agreement. In other territories such as Sweden, Norway and Spain, they operate a normal franchise agreement. The company took advantage of the development of the Any Qualified Provider initiative in the English National Health Service from 2009 to expand into the hearing aid business. In May 2020, Specsavers set up a video consultation service for the first time, to check people's eyes and hearing aids during the COVID-19 outbreak. Controversies JobKeeper On 15 September 2021, it was revealed in a 7.30 Report exposé that SpecSavers had taken advantage of the Australian government's JobKeeper scheme. JobKeeper was designed to subsidise wages for Australian workers during the COVID-19 lockdown period from April to September 2020. The intended recipients of JobKeeper were companies struggling financially throughout the pandemic. SpecSavers applied for the subsidy, receiving over A$90 million during these 6 months. Despite having a strong year across the optometry vertical, including reported profits for SpecSavers, this subsidy resulted in