London, 28th March 2025: Today, O2 and its global creative agency of record VCCP unveil a new brand platform and positioning, centred around connecting customers with life’s most exciting moments and reinforcing the brand as ‘Essential For Living’.
The new brand platform revisits the brand’s founding message from 2002, positioning it as an enabler of life’s greatest moments. It emphasises the excitement and rewards that O2 offers, with a renewed focus on emotional, real-world connections and putting customers back at the heart of unforgettable experiences.
‘Essential For Living’ launches alongside an integrated campaign created by VCCP, O2’s creative agency of record since its foundation. The 360 campaign centres on a 60-second film called ‘First Breath’, capturing a newborn baby’s first moments and imagining their future life. It is narrated by Sean Bean, the voice of O2’s campaigns since the brand’s launch 23 years ago, who introduces the child to the wealth of human emotions and experiences they are yet to encounter.
Highlighting O2‘s essential role in enabling life’s most exciting moments, the film invites viewers to consider what makes them feel truly alive. The film and campaign assets use the O2 logo in a fresh, new way – with the ‘O’ becoming a portal to showcase the breadth of experiences enabled by O2 – including live music, sports, and travel.
VCCP’s global content creation studio Girl&Bear worked with multi-award-winning music video and commercials director Sam Pilling and Magna Studios to bring the TV campaign to life. A full, 360 integrated campaign supports the film, with OOH flypostering at landmark locations as well as social, influencer, cinema and retail across the nation. These activations showcase the experiences offered by O2 through Priority offers and rewards, inclusive roaming in the EU up to 25GB and 99% 4G coverage across the UK – each reinforcing the brand platform of O2 as ‘Essential for Living’ life to the fullest.
The new brand platform strategically positions O2 apart from other telecommunication companies in an increasingly price-driven mobile sector. It highlights how O2’s technology powers not just connections, but unforgettable experiences that make life more exciting and rewarding.
Rachel Swift, Director of Brand and Marketing at Virgin Media O2 said: “O2 has always been about more than just connectivity – it’s about being there for the moments that matter most in life. ‘Essential for Living’ reflects the role O2 plays in enabling unforgettable experiences, from the enjoyment of a concert or the joy of travel… celebrating all the good things in life, made better by O2.”
David Masterman, Deputy ECD at VCCP added: “Have you ever wondered why O2 is called O2? It’s because, like oxygen, it’s essential to our lives. Initially, it was about staying connected with those we love. Now, it’s how we unlock a Lime bike, catch a gig, or grab a burger afterwards. O2 is the means that lets us navigate our lives – our sat nav, our diaries, our photo albums. It enables those experiences that make life richer. This new platform is a celebration of what the O2 name stands for and the role it plays in giving us the freedom to live life to the fullest.”
Production on the integrated campaign was managed by VCCP’s content creation studio Girl&Bear and digital experience agency Bernadette. Media planning and buying has been driven by MG OMD.
‘First Breath’ launches today across TV, BVOD, AVOD, social, in cinemas and online. The wider integrated campaign will run across formats such as flypostered OOH.
Watch the 60” film here (Vimeo) or here (YouTube) and download stills and OOH images here.
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Notes to editors
For more information contact Alastair Smith, Senior Group Communications Manager on alastair.smith@vccp.com
About O2
Virgin Media O2 launched on 1 June 2021, combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network with a fully gigabit broadband network.
The company has more than 45 million UK connections across its award-winning broadband, mobile, TV and home phone services. Its fixed network covers more than half of the country (18.3m premises serviceable) alongside a mobile network that covers 99% of the nation’s population. The company is on track to bring 5G to all populated areas by the end of 2030 and already offers 5G outdoor coverage to more than 75% of the UK population.
Virgin Media O2 is upgrading its fixed network to full fibre to the premises with completion in 2028. Its shareholders and investment firm InfraVia Capital Partners, through a joint venture called nexfibre, are investing approximately £4.5bn to build fibre to 5 million homes and businesses not currently served by Virgin Media O2’s network by 2026, with the opportunity to expand to an additional 2 million homes. As a wholesale customer of this network, Virgin Media O2’s total footprint will reach around 80% of the UK once build and upgrade work is completed.
Through Virgin Media O2 Business, the company plays a leading role supporting entrepreneurs, businesses, enterprises and the public sector with their digital transformation through a range of connectivity, security, cloud and tailor-made services. It is also the network of choice for mobile virtual network operators giffgaff and Sky Mobile, as well as managing a 50:50 joint venture with Tesco for Tesco Mobile.
The company is committed to using the power of connectivity to make it better for people and the planet, taking action to close the digital divide and building an inclusive, resilient, and low carbon economy. The business has set an ambitious commitment to achieve net zero carbon across its operations, products and supply chain by the end of 2040.
Virgin Media O2 is a 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA, and one of the UK’s largest businesses. Virgin Media O2 is registered in England and Wales. Registration number: 12580944. Virgin Media O2 Limited, 500 Brook Drive, Reading, RG2 6UU.
About VCCP
VCCP is the global challenger agency for challenger clients. We create enduring brand platforms that deliver value for our client’s businesses and enable diverse creative ideas of exceptional quality. Our clients are the world’s most recognisable challenger brands, including Google, Cadbury, Primark, Virgin Media O2, TfL, Compare the Market, Co-op and easyJet.
CAMPAIGN CREDITS
CAMPAIGN TITLE: Essential For Living
CLIENT: O2
DIRECTOR OF BRAND & MARKETING: Rachel Swift
MARKETING DIRECTOR: Simon Valcarcel
HEAD OF CAMPAIGNS: Johnny Winn
SENIOR CAMPAIGN MANAGERS: Ella Hassall & Ben Jobson
CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Amy Allen
ADVERTISING AGENCY: VCCP
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICERS: Jonathan Parker & Chris Birch
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: David Masterman
ART DIRECTOR & COPYWRITER: James Lucking-Pham & Filipe Birck
SENIOR AGENCY TV PRODUCER: Ed Mueller (Girl&Bear)
MANAGING PARTNER: Olivia Packshaw
BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Alistair Nichols
SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Oliver Humphries
SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER: Connor Fairfield
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER: Clare Hutchinson
PLANNING DIRECTOR: Alex Horner
HERO FILM
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Magna Studios
DIRECTOR: Sam Pilling
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: James Sorton
PRODUCER: John Bannister
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Rachael Donson
DOP: Ben Fordesman
EDIT: Tenthree
EDITOR: Ellie Johnson
EDIT PRODUCER: Clel Allen
POST PRODUCTION COMPANY: Stray London
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Carl Norton
2D LEAD: Daniel Adams
COMPOSITOR: Doruk Saglam
DIGITAL MATTE PAINTER: Lino Khay
PRODUCER: Ellie Georgiou
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Misha Stanford-Harris
COLOUR: Company 3
COLOURIST: Jean-Clement Soret
PRODUCER: Chris Anthony
AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION: 750MPH
SOUND DESIGN & MIX: Sam Ashwell
AUDIO PRODUCER: Olivia Ray
MUSIC SUPERVISION: Finger Music
MUSIC SUPERVISOR: Chris Phelps
INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN
ADVERTISING AGENCY: VCCP
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: James Pettit & Andy Mitchell
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Charlotte Allcock
ACCOUNT MANAGER: Lily Hubbard & Isabella Rubins
POST PRODUCTION: Girl&Bear
AGENCY CREATIVE PRODUCER: Charlotte McCluskey
DIGITAL CREATIVE PRODUCER: Nay Hassan
POST PRODUCER: Natasha Allmond
BROADCAST AFFAIRS MANAGER: Katie Singer
DIGITAL AGENCY: Bernadette
DIGITAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR, HEAD OF MOTION & 3D: Jon Bancroft
TECH LEAD: Nathaniel Hulley
DIGITAL BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Helena Chaplin
DIGITAL PROJECT DIRECTORS: Ravi Patel & Luke Dougherty
DIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER: Nayef (Nay) Hassan
MOTION DESIGNERS: Martin Pavlica, Filip Stanek, Simon Bostock, Nik Karpov, Linas Jovaisas, Claire Ashfield, Ivan Huri & Andy Potts
SENIOR DEVELOPER:Mike Beckman
MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: Manning Gottlieb OMD
BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Hollie Hambilton
PLANNING DIRECTOR: Will Maclure
STRATEGY DIRECTOR: Gareth White
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Mikhail Vallance
DIGITAL ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Miranda Roberts
The post Essential for Living: O2 revisits founding ethos for new brand platform appeared first on Virgin Media O2.
Source: O2 Blog
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