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Launched ten years ago with the philosophy of ‘See what you can do’, O2 has always been driven by customer insight, innovation and a passion to deliver great experiences. Through consistently breaking new ground with initiatives from The O2 through to Priority Moments, the award winning brand has expanded beyond mobile and built a unique level of customer loyalty. The new strategy builds upon these foundations, with the belief that with fresh thinking there are no limits to what you can do. The first iteration of the new strategy launches with an ATL campaign breaking on 8th March. Set against an ever-changing background the 60 second TV ad highlights how technology is changing people’s lives and the new possibilities that this creates. The most interactive O2 campaign to date, it highlights the importance of innovation and fresh thinking with a number of media firsts: Ø A World of Possibilities – The world’s first voice activated website enabling users to access an O2 Guru who can take them through the array of new services that O2 has on the horizon, from Wifi, Priority Moments, O2 Money and Think Big. www.o2.co.uk/changing* Ø Sound showers – in a UK media first, designed to raise awareness of the TV ad and the Little Boxes theme tune, the campaign uses directional sound functionality at high footfall outdoor sites and retail stores to create surprising ‘stop in your tracks’ moments. Ø Augmented Reality – TV screens and posters across key O2 retail stores will tell the story of O2 Money, Priority Tickets, Think Big and Priority Moments using augmented reality to give customers the opportunity to learn about how things are changing at a deeper level.
By applying this philosophy to everything we do across our business we can help unlock the potential of our brand and mobile technology to create new experiences and value for our customers. At the start of this campaign we will be further demonstrating how things are changing in both shopping and community through Priority Moments and Think Big, followed by more through the year.” The new campaign will break above the line on the 8th March and will run for 16 weeks across a wide range of media advertising including cinema, TV, outdoor, press, DM, retail and online. The campaign will also be driven across all O2 social media channels beginning with giving O2 fans on Facebook the first look at the TV ad and continuing the conversations via Twitter with #changing. The creative was developed by VCCP with media buying supplied by ZenithOptimedia. For more information visit www.O2.co.uk *World of Possibilities voice activation launching 19th March 2012 |
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I doubt that Malvina Reynolds would have thought much of her clever, understated satirical song “Little Boxes” being used by O2 for its latest, cloying TV advert. I certainly find it intensely irritating, partly because an advertising director thinks the song is a breed of 60s veal calf, suitable for butchering, and partly because the crass and cloying nature of the ad hides an iron-hard spine of commercialism that stands completely at odds with the values of those artists behind the social movements of that amazing decade, who used intelligent songwriting to capture and change hearts and minds.
For those who, like me, were brought up enjoying the song as a child because it was simple and catchy and then liking it even more when the grown-ups explained what it was really about, O2’s blundering misappropriation is a depressing indictment of the cultural amnesia that besets us and the fact that companies think that everything can be turned into a commodity, including the works of a time that valued originality and freedom of thought over mass production and the corporation. Either their advisers haven’t a clue why so many thought “Little Boxes” was a wickedly sweet thrust at conformity or they are hoping that the adults who do remember will feel quirky and rebellious again, and will rush – or hobble – out to O2 shops to be patronised by attractive young men and women who want to sell them Apple’s latest fondle slab. One thing’s for certain: O2’s main demographic (the one that thinks that satyrs in boating hats are just so hilariously surreal) will be totally unaware of the significance of the music and will probably assume it refers to wireless routers.
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Martin,
Thanks for your comment. I have loaded it as a story as well as carrying it in the O2 slot.
Please call me 01784 434 412 about the possibility of giving your gallery editorial exposure in theMarketingblog.
Thanks once again,
Will Corry