TL;DR
William Shatner, 95, has partnered with Audien Hearing as brand ambassador for a campaign called “Boldly Hear What’s Next” encouraging adults with hearing loss to seek help. Shatner uses Audien’s Atom X over-the-counter hearing aids and has previously spoken about his tinnitus. The partnership targets a well-documented gap: fewer than one in three U.S. adults 70 and older who could benefit from hearing aids has ever used them.
William Shatner, the 95-year-old actor best known for his role in Star Trek, has partnered with Audien Hearing as brand ambassador for a new campaign called “Boldly Hear What’s Next.” The campaign, announced by the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based over-the-counter hearing aid maker, aims to encourage adults with hearing loss to take steps toward better hearing — a message Shatner carries with personal weight, as he uses the company’s Atom X devices and has spoken publicly about his own hearing challenges, including tinnitus.
The campaign’s central message is that aging does not preclude continued engagement with life, conversation, and experience. According to the announcement, Shatner will appear across a wide-ranging marketing and social media push. The actor said his own hearing difficulties motivated the partnership.
“I’ve spent a lifetime thinking about the future, and at 95, I still want to know what’s next: the next conversation, the next idea, the next adventure,” Shatner said in a release. “I know firsthand how hearing challenges can affect those moments. That’s why I partnered with Audien. There’s a lot of life left to live, and a lot worth hearing.”
Central to the campaign is Audien’s Atom X, a rechargeable in-ear hearing aid featuring a touchscreen charging case that allows users to adjust volume and hearing modes without a smartphone app. The device is paired with a free one-on-one Sound Check appointment with a hearing specialist for personalized setup — a support model the company says is designed to reduce barriers for first-time users. Audien, founded in 2019, sells rechargeable in-ear and behind-the-ear devices online and through national retail partners, intended for adults 18 and older with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
Why a Celebrity Ambassador Targets the Hearing Aid Gap
The partnership arrives against a backdrop of persistent underuse of hearing devices among older adults. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide — nearly 20% of the global population — live with hearing loss, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, approximately 37.5 million American adults report some degree of trouble hearing, yet among adults 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than one in three has ever used them, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
The campaign also reflects a broader industry trend of consumer-facing hearing health advocacy, as OTC hearing aid brands increasingly turn to high-profile spokespeople to reduce stigma and drive adoption among adults reluctant to seek help. For hearing care professionals, campaigns of this kind have the potential to bring in patients who are newly aware of — and motivated to address — their hearing loss, according to The Hearing Review’s report.
Audien’s Accessibility Focus and Shatner’s Hearing History
Audien Hearing, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., positions itself as an accessibility-focused player in the OTC hearing aid market that opened up after U.S. regulators cleared the way for over-the-counter sales of devices for perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss in adults.
Shatner is no stranger to public conversations about hearing health. He has previously spoken openly about his tinnitus, and his profile as a public figure who has personally navigated hearing difficulties underpins the campaign’s consumer-facing credibility, the announcement noted.
“We started Audien because too many people were being left out of conversations they deserved to be part of,” said Ishan Patel, co-founder and CEO of Audien Hearing, in a release. “Making hearing more accessible means giving people a way back into those moments. William embodies why that matters: there is still so much life ahead worth showing up for.”
Co-founder Zack Hubbard added: “With Audien we spent years thinking we could change the world, even when people thought we were crazy. That’s what boldly means to us: believing a better future is possible and having the courage to build it. William has inspired generations to dream that way. Partnering with him is a dream come true.”
“I’ve spent a lifetime thinking about the future, and at 95, I still want to know what’s next: the next conversation, the next idea, the next adventure. I know firsthand how hearing challenges can affect those moments.”
— William Shatner, actor and Audien brand ambassador
What the Announcement Leaves Unspecified
Several details of the partnership were not disclosed in the announcement. The financial terms of Shatner’s ambassador arrangement were not made public, and no timeline was given for how long the campaign will run or which specific media channels beyond “marketing and social media” it will occupy. The announcement also did not include sales figures, adoption targets, or independent clinical performance data for the Atom X; the company’s description of the device’s ease of use and its Sound Check support model is self-reported. It remains to be seen whether the campaign measurably increases hearing aid adoption among older adults, an outcome the announcement does not claim.
Campaign Rollout and Industry Watch
Shatner is set to appear across Audien’s marketing and social media campaign in the coming months as “Boldly Hear What’s Next” rolls out. Consumers can find more information about the company’s product lineup at AudienHearing.com. Industry observers will be watching whether the high-profile campaign — part of a wider trend of OTC hearing aid brands recruiting celebrity spokespeople — translates into increased uptake among the majority of older Americans with hearing loss who have never used a hearing aid, and whether it drives new patient traffic to hearing care professionals.
Key Questions
Who is William Shatner partnering with, and on what campaign?
Shatner has partnered with Audien Hearing, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based over-the-counter hearing aid maker, as brand ambassador for a campaign called “Boldly Hear What’s Next,” which encourages adults with hearing loss to take steps toward better hearing.
Does William Shatner use hearing aids himself?
Yes. According to the announcement, Shatner has faced hearing challenges himself and uses Audien’s Atom X over-the-counter hearing aids. He has also previously spoken openly about having tinnitus.
What is the Atom X hearing aid?
The Atom X is a rechargeable in-ear hearing aid with a touchscreen charging case that lets users adjust volume and hearing modes without a smartphone app. It is paired with a free one-on-one Sound Check appointment with a hearing specialist, a support model Audien says is designed for first-time users. It is intended for adults 18 and older with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
Why is this campaign focused on older adults?
Because hearing aid use remains low among those who could benefit. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, fewer than one in three U.S. adults 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids has ever used them.
When was Audien Hearing founded?
Audien Hearing was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Its devices are sold online and through national retail partners.
Source: rss
