April 1 is known in the United Kingdom as “Price Hike Day” because it is a date that coincides with the end of the fiscal year and many private companies increase their rates. It is the opportunity that the telephone operator Giffgaff, owned by O2, has taken advantage of to improve the conditions of its customers without raising prices. And to communicate it, it has captured a feeling in various advertising actions.

One of them is “Huggable”, an interactive mupi, created together with the creative agency Pablo, which seeks to convey the warm and comforting feeling caused by the company’s decision not to apply price increases to its clients mid-contract and to offer up to 200% more data at no additional cost.

In this way, the outdoor advertising support has been transformed into a giant hug, with hairy arms created with memory foam. With this, a human-sized space is created where people can approach to receive a hug from the brand.
The stand has been on the streets of the Covent Garden area of ​​London for the past week, and will also be in Kings Cross St Pancras on April 1.

“Treating people fairly is at the core of our DNA.”commented Nerissa Abrahams, Advertising Director at giffgaff, via LinkedIn. “While many other mobile operators are raising prices for their customers, at Giffgaff we are offering data increases of up to 200%, bringing more value to our members at no additional cost. And how does that feel? Like a big hug, a warm hug from us to show you that you are truly valued.”.

In parallel, the brand has also captured the data increases at no added cost in an interactive experience. Starting from the concept “boost”, which in Spanish translates as impulse or increase, GiffGaff has created a “Boost bar” in the center of London, to materialize the feeling of pleasure in the conditions of its services.

It was an ephemeral space that was active on March 24 and was accessible through limited but free tickets. There, the brand offered all kinds of products and activities to boost the energy and mood of users: snacks and natural juices, revitalizing music, “oxygen bar,” or massage chairs.

With this campaign, Giffgaff communicates the products in its catalog, and the improvement of its service conditions, both for existing and new customers. It turns a moment of delicate feeling associated with the general increase in prices into an opportunity to continue building its brand and positions itself as a company that provides confidence, security and well-being to people when they need it most.