O2 invests £10m in biggest brand campaign since launch

by Jennifer Whitehead, Brand Republic 08-May-06, 12:00

LONDON – O2 is investing £10m to promote its brand refresh, which represents its biggest campaign since it changed its name from BT Cellnet in 2002.

An advertising campaign featuring the new look will break today, created by Vallance Carruthers Coleman Priest. The familiar blue and bubbles remain, however, they have evolved so they reflect elements of O2's services such as sports and entertainment.

The strapline has changed to "It's your O2. See what you can do". Previous straplines have included "a world that revolves around you".

The first ad in the campaign is a 50-second spot, using new animation techniques to incorporate the bubble in the real world. It will be extended through a wide range of media including online. Media has been handled by ZenithOptimedia and Agency Republic for online.

Two other ads will follow. The first breaks on May 22 and promotes O2's free music video download offer. The second will run from June 5 for two weeks, promoting free map downloads from Streetmap for three months.

O2 wants the campaign to help its strategy of focusing on customer loyalty, and encourage people to explore new ways of using their phones.

Russ Shaw, marketing director for O2, said: "We recognise that you can't take customer loyalty for granted and you must always seek ways of re-engaging with them to ensure people keep coming back. By adopting innovative ways to re-energise the O2 brand, we can keep pace and evolve in line with customer demand."

In March, O2 lost a legal battle with rival mobile phone company 3 over the use of bubbles in its advertising. O2 had argued that the advertising infringed its trademark.

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