O2 champions spontaneous summer adventures

O2 and its global creative agency of record VCCP unveils the next phase of Essential for Living, an integrated campaign, this time celebrating the freedom that comes when travelling abroad as an O2 customer.

The campaign builds on the success of the first instalment of Essential For Living, which launched earlier this year and revisited the brand's founding message from 2002, positioning it as an enabler of life’s greatest moments. The first iteration consisted of a hero film narrated by Sean Bean called First Breath and nationwide flyposter inspired out-of-home.

This second roaming-focused iteration centres around the film Roam free, breathe free, and reframes roaming not just as a benefit, but as a way to feel more alive while travelling, bringing to life O2’s market-leading proposition of being the only major network that lets all customers roam freely across 49 European destinations.

The film 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, inviting viewers to reflect on travel, and how it makes us feel truly alive.

The 40” spot is narrated by Sean Bean, the voice of O2’s campaigns since the brand’s launch 23 years ago. The film captures the thrill of the unknown as it follows two older friends on a moped, driving along a Greek country road, guided only by a phone in a cradle. Shot in a single take, there are no distractions and no detours as the pair lean into their adventurous spirit, a powerful metaphor for the freedom O2 roaming offers. As the film comes to a crescendo, a series of sun soaked holiday shots showcase the joy of travel enabled by O2, before seamlessly transitioning into the O2 logo, using a similar visual ‘O’ motif established in the First Breath film.

VCCP’s global content creation studio Girl&Bear brought the campaign to life, working with directors thirtytwo and production company Anonymous Content, as well as post-production company Electric Theatre Collective. Digital experience agency Bernadette worked across the integrated campaign to bring digital, social and online elements to life.

A fully integrated campaign surrounds the film, including flyposter-inspired OOH that builds on the distinctive visual approach of the brand’s recent work, digital out-of-home in high-footfall airport locations, and print placements around key travel and lifestyle media.