O2 Tone of Voice
The brief: to create a verbal identity that, even if you covered up the O2 logo, would still feel distinctively O2. The aim was to help customers connect with fresh, positive, and simple language.
The principles, in a nutshell, were:
• Turn down the waffle
• Turn up the treats
• Be surprisingly simple
The key was to speak to people, not just sell to them. From the start, our tone of voice was bold, simple, and fresh — brought to life by Sean Bean’s steady narration. The aim was to build trust and connection, with no hiding behind small print or complicated products and propositions. We set out to make everything as easy and simple as possible.
Why? Because customers understand what they’re buying, they avoid bill shock, and importantly, there are fewer calls to the contact centres.
But as life and technology changed, so did O2. Humour and creativity became part of our everyday language, opening the brand to a wider audience — from young people chasing adventures to families looking for connection.
Everything in the business was rewritten: bills, SIM cards, the website, training guides, sales packs, and booklets. Everyone was invited to a Tone of Voice training session — from the boardroom to engineers. People were encouraged to use this voice both internally and externally.
The result? Over 10 years, we’ve saved millions of hours and millions of pounds. This was a game-changing project.