O2's SIM Card Snowflakes Keep People Connected This Christmas

O2 is shining a light on data poverty and raising awareness of the National Databank as part of its new Christmas campaign, launching today with agency of record VCCP.

Virgin Media O2 founded the National Databank in 2021 with leading digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation, which provides free O2 mobile data, texts and calls to those in need.  

Ofcom estimates there are currently around two million households living in data poverty, where people are unable to get online and carry out everyday tasks - from booking appointments to doing homework and crucially, staying in touch with loved ones. 

The new integrated campaign is led by an emotive 60” film, airing tonight during Big Brother on ITV1, which depicts real world scenarios of people in data poverty, highlighting the difficulties of life without mobile data, which has become essential to everyday life. The scenes portrayed are inspired by real people’s stories and include a young man working in a kitchen who struggles to complete his studies due to a lack of data, a father and daughter who are unable to stream something to watch while they’re on a coach journey and a woman outside a laundrette struggling to stay in touch with loved ones. 

To demonstrate how O2 is supporting people in need via the National Databank, the film shows snowflakes made of SIM cards gently falling from the sky into the hands of those who had been disconnected, showing how they can get online with free O2 data.

To highlight the stories of those experiencing data poverty, VCCP's global content creation studio, Girl&Bear, worked with award-winning director Stefanie Soho and SMUGGLER, with The Mill working on VFX. This helped to deliver the message in a simple, honest and moving way - illustrating both the necessity of data and the feeling people get when help is at hand. The film is set to the song ‘Snowfall’ by Ingrid Michaelson.

In addition, the campaign landing page has been cleverly designed and built as a zero-rated webpage which is exempt from any data charges so it’s accessible to those experiencing data poverty. Through this webpage, those in need can find their nearest O2 store to access free mobile data. This was built by VCCP’s digital experience agency Bernadette, with the clear audience need at its heart.

Simon Valcarcel, marketing director at Virgin Media O2, said, “With around two million households now experiencing data poverty, we wanted to use our platform this festive season to share the realities of not having data in an honest and relatable way, while raising awareness of the support available via the National Databank. Through this campaign, we hope to encourage people across the country to spread the word that those in need can get free O2 mobile data from their nearest O2 store.”

David Masterman, deputy executive creative director at VCCP, added, “It’s easy to take for granted, but data is an essential utility. It’s necessary to book doctor’s appointments, for kids to do homework, so many of our day to day activities - we wanted to bring this to life in this campaign by telling those stories and pointing people in the right direction to get support from O2.”

This is the third time that O2 has spotlighted the National Databank in its ATL Christmas campaign, previously the focal point in Bubl Army and Snowgran.

The campaign launches today across Cinema, TV, VOD, Online, OOH, Social, Radio and Retail, and will run until the 31st of December. Media planning and buying has been led by MG OMD.