Bell Canada Encourages Conversations to Help Reduce Loneliness

In its latest national awareness campaign, Bell gives license to everyone to talk to each other about nothing important over a phone call.

“Whatever you talk about, just talk. A short phone call can help reduce loneliness”
Created by Leo Toronto, the campaign was inspired by the insight that Canadians are lonelier than ever, yet they are more connected (source: Leo Toronto’s HumanKind Study 2024: 77% of gen z feel lonely at least sometime and 57% of all Canadians feel lonely too.).

The creative idea hinges on the fact that all the ways to connect today are mostly just one-way or out-of-sync interactions. To feel connected, people need to talk in real-time.
“When we first saw the loneliness stat in our HumanKind research findings last year it was a real gut punch to be honest. We all felt compelled to do something about it and Bell was the perfect partner to bring this issue to light and more importantly, help to address it in some way." said Tahir Ahmad, chief strategy officer, Leo Toronto.

This initiative is also validated by Bell's own research, which highlights a notable shift in communication preferences, especially among young Canadians. Their study reveals that Canadians are increasingly favouring text messaging and social media over phone calls to connect with friends and family. Despite these preferences, the research also suggests that phone conversations have a positive impact on wellbeing, and can reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, particularly for millennials and gen z's.

And on top of all of this, a simple phone call, does not come naturally these days for younger Canadians.

The 30 seconds vignettes are a nod to people talking about anything and sparking the art of conversation again. We believe creativity can transform human behaviour and this is a perfect example of that.

“We didn’t want the campaign to be this big, heavy thing,” says Angus Tucker, chief creative officer at Leo Toronto. “We wanted to remind people that talking on the phone with your friends or family is a fun thing, not an obligation. So the conversations we’re featuring are deliberately light hearted and silly. Exactly the kinds of conversations you might have with your grandma or in the car with your friends. Even the most seemingly meaningless conversations are actually really meaningful in that they just make you feel good."

Extensions to the campaign will include a 'Call Me' emoji which people can use to text a friend or loved one when you just want to have a phone call. The emoji will be accessible via Bell social posts. The aim is to reduce the barrier and angst about picking up the phone.

'Calling Cards' have also been created to act as conversation starters about random topics to help ignite the conversation around the initiative.

The campaign will run for two months in English and in French on national broadcast including radio and Spotify, along with supporting assets in Social, OOH, display as well as newspapers.

“At Bell, connectivity is at the heart of what we do - but true connection is about more than just technology. Our research shows that while Canadians are more connected than ever, many still feel isolated. This campaign is a simple but powerful reminder that even a short, light hearted phone call can lift someone’s spirits. In a world where digital communication often feels one-sided, we’re encouraging people to rediscover the joy of real conversations and the meaningful connection they create.” Devorah Lithwick, SVP and chief brand officer, Bell Canada