Vodafone Rings in 40 Years of Christmas Connections, From First Calls to Festive Texts

Vodafone is celebrating nearly 40 years of keeping the UK connected this Christmas, highlighting its role in bringing people closer to what matters most. With a heritage rooted in innovation, the campaign reflects on the moments that have shaped the nation’s communications, from the first mobile phone call on 1 January 1985 to the inaugural text message—Merry Christmas—sent on 3 December 1992, both powered by Vodafone’s network.

As the UK’s first mobile phone company, Vodafone has been a constant presence in helping families and friends stay connected, especially during the festive season, reinforcing its place at the heart of the nation’s connections.

The nostalgic Christmas campaign looks back at the last four decades and highlights that while technology has changed - from brick phones to smartphones - the joy of connecting with friends and family during the festive season remains the same.

Maria Koutsoudakis, brand director, Vodafone UK, said: "As the nation's network, we are extremely proud of the pioneering and enduring role we play in connecting the nation. The first text ever sent in the UK was on our network, and it said, 'Merry Christmas.' The first phone call was on our network, and it was, 'Hello, Happy New Year.' Connecting people at this important time of the year is in the DNA of our brand. This year, we are extremely proud to celebrate those moments of connection that mean so much to everyone at Christmas and how we have helped make these happen for 40 years. Our Christmas TV campaign celebrates those beautiful nostalgic moments enabled by our technology, and the technology itself, in a warm, humorous, and moving way. For me, this story epitomizes the critical role we play and will continue to play in the everyday lives of all our consumers, and I hope it triggers a memory in each and every one of us."

Created by Vodafone and Leo Burnett, the film moves chronologically through the decades and highlights some of the festive seasons most emotive and relatable moments. From the very first mobile phones of the 80s and text speak in the 90s to the emergence of flip phones and teaching older family members how to use video calls for the first time, the ad brings to life the power of connection at Christmas.

Mark Elwood, CCO, Leo Burnett UK, added: “This campaign takes us back in time – from the first brick phones, early text slang, selfies and video calls – showing that while the tech might have changed (thankfully), the joy of connecting with loved ones at Christmas has stayed wonderfully the same. It’s all about celebrating the moments that really matter, connecting with friends and family.”

The campaign is further brought to life through a nationwide wave of OOH, celebrating the evolution of festive communication over the decades. From the early days of character-limited text messages to today’s vibrant multimedia exchanges, the creative highlights Vodafone’s enduring role at the heart of these moments, reinforced by its iconic and distinctive branding.

The campaign will additionally feature a bespoke four-part social content series fronted by Roman and his Mum, singer and author, Shirlie Kemp, that builds on the nostalgic sentiment of the ad. Uniting two generations, the series looks back at how phones have changed over the last 40 years, highlighting that despite advances in technology, the feeling of connecting with friends and family has remained the same. Viewers will see Roman and his Mum interacting through challenges, such as texting on a Nokia 3310, taking a selfie with a GX10 and communicating only with emojis, while they share nostalgic Christmas-device inspired memories with each other.

The fully integrated, multi-touch point campaign – including TV, radio, OOH, YouTube, social, video on demand and cinema – will launch on Friday 29thNovember when the TV advert airs. The ad will premiere during ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and will also play during the Lionesses’ international friendly vs The USA the following day. The campaign will roll out across OOH, Social, YouTube and Radio on the 2nd December.

Credits

Campaign title: Christmas

Client: Vodafone UK

Advertising agency: Leo Burnett

Chief creative officer: Mark Elwood

Creative director: Rob Tenconi

Social creative director: Beth Manning

Creative: Matt Wood & Tom Loveless

Chief production officer: Emily Marr

Executive producer: Megan O’Hagan

Producer: Kate Reynolds

Production support: Sara Gill

Managing partner: Marie-Louise Robinson

Client partner: Matt René

Account director: Alice Pavey

Account manager: Ellie Glover

Account executive: Missy Maiklem

Head of project management: Emily Patterson

Project director: Jon Purr

Design creative director: David Allen

Planning partner: Ila De Mello Kamath

Senior planner: Jenika Tanqueray

Senior strategist: Ilana Green

Media buying agency: Carat

Managing partner: Natalie De Cruz

Planning partner: Jamie Truscott Howell

Strategy partner: Rupert Beck

Media planner: Kate Burrows

Account director: Samuel Staniforth

Account manager: Laila Casey-Walsh

Production company: Smuggler

Director: Tom Speers

Managing director: Fergus Brown

Managing director/executive producer: Lucy Kelly

Director of photography: Suzie Lavelle

Production company producer: Lucy Gossage

Production manager: Meghan Young

Production coordinator: Georgie Dale

Production assistant: Kamran Marzban

Production runner: Lily Carpenter

Production designer: Lucie Red

Wardrobe stylist: Sarah Blenkinsop

First assistant director: Joe Carter

Editor: Eve Ashwell

Edit house: The Assembly Rooms

Audio post-production company: 750PMH

Sound design & mix: Jake Ashwell & Sam Ashwell

Audio producer: Olivia Ray

Post-production company: Harbor

VFX lead: Joe Tang

Post-production producer: Hannah Jarrold

Colour post-production: Black Kite Studios

Colourist: Tom Mangham

Colour producer: Phil Whalley

Music supervision: Wake The Town

Music supervisor: Sam MacNamara

Vodafone

Brand director: Maria Koutsoudakis

Head of brand: Kshitij Desai

Head of social: Jordan Stone

Social brand manager: Nina Ruberry

Brand and marketing manager: Emmeline Manning

CCS Insight

Technology advisor: Ben Wood