Award: EFFECTIVENESS \ E03. Best Creative Idea

Kiwi telco 2degrees had long led New Zealand’s conversation on harmful phone use — until the rest of the country caught up. To stay relevant, the brand evolved its mission: from reducing harm to championing what phones do best.

Research revealed a simple tension: Kiwis were nine times more likely to scroll than call, despite 77% feeling better after a meaningful conversation.

The answer was Ring Ring — a limited-edition thumb ring engraved with a loved one’s number, worn on the very finger that scrolls. A deliberately low-tech idea in a high-tech world, designed to interrupt the doomscroll and prompt a real call.

The campaign reached 12.1 million people, sparked 632 public pledges to reconnect, and increased perception of 2degrees as a brand supporting healthy phone habits by 21%.