Deutsche Telekom's digital doppelgangers

Deutsche Telekom has launched a new, international campaign which aims to drive awareness, spark debate and empower young people to take back control of their online identities in an era of digital cloning.

Created by the boutique creative network INGO, the campaign is spearheaded by a surreal, lo-fi music video starring up and coming musician and DJ VTSS, in which the star is pursued by an army of doppelgangers who steal her identity and take over her life, vividly dramatising what it can feel like when your online self starts to slip out of your hands and take on a life of its own.

The video was directed by Paris-based duo Shadrinsky, known for their provocative and subversive lo-fi viral videos for fashion brands such as Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier and MSCHF, whilst the bespoke track, Can’t Catch Me, was the result of a collaboration between VTSS and Charli XCX’s celebrated producer, Hudson Mohawke. 

The main promo is backed by a new digital platform, ownyourworld.online, which houses a series of short, feed-friendly films [below] starring VTSS explaining how your personal data can be duplicated, misused and exploited in ways that are often invisible.

The work was created in response to research by Deutsche Telekom that showed a pressing need for better education on digital protection among young people, with over 90% of European Gen Z-ers expressing concerns about their digital privacy. But despite growing up online, many feel unequipped to deal with the issue, as less than 7% say they feel very confident managing their data privacy. The research also shows that over 70% of Generation Z would like more information on self-protection. 

“So many of us feel this low-key anxiety about how much of us lives online, and how little control we have over it," said VTSS. "This project creatively captures this, holding up a mirror to that experience and hopefully helping people feel seen.” 

“From the moment we first met with Deutsche Telekom, we all agreed that to really resonate with the discerning audience that is Gen Z, the brand would have to show up differently than it had previously," added Daniel Fisher, Global Chief Creative Officer of INGO. "This brain rot-inspired campaign is configured for social media and is about as far away from your typical, big corporation ‘ad campaign’ as it is possible to be. I’m still pinching myself that Shadrinsky agreed to make it for us.”