UK mobile network, O2, has launched its Christmas campaign ‘The Snowgran’, at the same time, committing to gifting an additional 1 million GB of data to those in need this festive season. The integrated campaign will run until 19 December across TV, Cinema, BVOD, OLV, Social, DOOH, OOH, Radio, PR and retail. Media has been planned and executed by Havas Media.  

According to the Good Things Foundations Digital Nation 2022 report, around 2m UK households are now at risk of digital exclusion. To help address this, The Snowgran campaign aims to raise further awareness of the National Databank, an initiative pioneered by Virgin Media O2 in partnership with Good Things Foundation to help tackle data poverty, and to get data into the hands of people who need it the most via bespoke O2 Christmas SIM Cards. O2 is also stepping up its support for people most affected by the cost-of-living crisis by piloting the National Databank at 10 O2 stores across the country, making it easier for those in need to access free data.

As part of the campaign, O2 will be gifting 1m GB of data via a Christmas SIM Card initiative in addition to the 61m GB of data it has already committed to donate to the National Databank by the end of 2025. The SIM Cards will be available in store and online via a dedicated campaign landing page, where O2 customers can apply for an O2 Christmas SIM Card voucher for either themselves or as a gift for someone they know. The initiative provides a minimum of 7GB of free O2 mobile data per month via the National Databank.

At the heart of the campaign is a hero 60-second film written by Simon Connor and Stephen Cross starring a disconnected ‘Snowgran’ who, on her walk home, is noticed by O2’s robot, Bubl, and a young girl named Billie. Observing her seclusion, they give Snowgran an O2 Christmas SIM Card which helps her to reconnect with her family and friends for the festive season. The 40-second edit of the film premieres this evening during ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’ on ITV.

O2 worked with UK agency of record  VCCP London and content production studio Girl&Bear to bring ‘The Snowgran’ to life, alongside VCCP’s Product and Service innovation company, Bernadette who created the campaign landing page.

“With the cost-of-living crisis deepening, we’re helping even more people stay connected,” said Simon Groves, Director of Brand & Marcomms at Virgin Media O2. “Our Christmas campaign combines festive spirit with action by raising awareness of the National Databank and the free O2 data that’s available to help those most in need stay connected over the festive period.”