Vivo Tackles Smartphone Addiction with Creative Campaign

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Brazil’s largest telco, Vivo, has teamed up with Africa Creative on a new campaign tackling today’s most urgent cultural issues: our toxic attachment to smartphones. Set to Olivia Rodrigo’s “jealousy, jealousy,” the emotionally charged spot reframes screen addiction as a harmful relationship, drawing on stats that show nearly half of Brazilian youth say social media is hurting their mental health.

Vivo and Africa Creative Launch “Toxic Relationship” Campaign on Smartphone Addiction

The “Toxic Relationship” campaign uses Olivia Rodrigo’s 2021 hit song “jealousy, jealousy” to draw attention to the psychological impact of excessive screen time, particularly among younger generations.

The campaign responds to alarming statistics from the 2024 Mental Health Panorama, conducted by Instituto Cactus and AtlasIntel, which found that 40% of respondents report that likes and comments on social media significantly affect their self-esteem, a dependence on external validation, especially prevalent among teens and young adults. The same study reveals that 45% of Brazilians aged 15 to 29 feel that intense social media use negatively impacts their mental health, contributing to increased anxiety and depression.

Brazil currently leads Latin America in anxiety and depression cases, with the World Health Organisation reporting that 5.8% of the country’s population—approximately 11.7 million people—suffer from depression. Additionally, research from VTrends, Vivo’s insights hub, shows that 51% of people lose track of time while using mobile devices.

“As technology takes up more and more space in our lives, we need to find healthier, more balanced ways to engage with our cell phones,” says Marina Daineze, Brand and Communications Director at Vivo. “This is a global and intergenerational issue, and as both an industry leader and a human-centred brand, we believe it’s essential to foster this dialogue.”

“jealousy, jealousy” by Olivia Rodrigo Inspires Vivo Campaign

The campaign’s centrepiece is a film titled “Toxic Relationship,” which portrays a young woman so absorbed in her smartphone that she fails to notice how the digital world is consuming her life.

The use of Rodrigo’s “jealousy, jealousy” was chosen specifically for its lyrics about social media’s potential downsides in exacerbating emotional trauma as well as for the pop star’s strong connection with Generation Z. Taken together, the imagery and soundtrack serve as a powerful metaphor for the unhealthy attachments many have developed with their devices.

Vivo’s Commitment to Conscious Technology Usage

Mariana Sá, Co-Chief Creative Officer at Africa Creative, emphasised the challenges posed by rapid technological advancements. These advancements have left various groups, including parents, educators, regulators, academics, and young people, struggling to understand the effects of a hyperconnected culture. Sá highlighted the importance of brands actively addressing these issues by fostering discussions around technology and self-esteem. She stated that the campaign aims to promote reflection and inspire more responsible choices while strategically positioning Vivo as a leading advocate for the conscious use of technology.

This initiative is part of Vivo’s ongoing commitment to encouraging balanced technology use. The telecommunications giant has consistently taken a proactive stance on digital well-being, recognising its responsibility as an industry leader to promote healthier relationships with technology.

The “Toxic Relationship” campaign invites consumers to set boundaries with their smartphones and develop more mindful digital habits. Vivo aims to spark meaningful conversations about technology’s role in our lives and encourage users to take control of their screen time through this initiative.