O2 and AEG Europe introduce The O2

London's most exciting new destination unveiled in a £6.5m advertising campaign by VCCP

O2 and AEG Europe are proud to announce a £6.5 million joint advertising campaign to announce the arrival of The O2, London's newest and most spectacular entertainment venue. The campaign for the re-developed Millennium Dome will be on air for five weeks.

The campaign neatly dove-tails two key messages from both companies. Two thirds of the campaign will emphasise the considerable perks that O2 customers will enjoy at the venue, including priority tickets and access to the Blueroom bar and VIP lounge. The rest will focus on the venue and the events happening at The O2.

Sally Cowdry, O2 UK's Marketing Director, explains: "We have been working on this project for last two years and our involvement in The O2 has always been more than just a naming exercise: we strive to put our customers at the heart of everything we do, The O2 is a great example of that. We have identified ways to make The O2 experience very special for our customers, and now we want to tell them about it."

Lesley Saville, Chief Marketing Officer at AEG, said: "This campaign will blow the UK away. Nationally we'll ensure that The O2 is seen as THE place for music and sport in the UK. Our London based work will capitalise on this but also convey all the other great opportunities The O2 has to offer including the restaurants, bars, cafes, fabulous free events and exhibitions. Our customers are invited to 'Do The O2' and we know they won't be disappointed."

The full integrated campaign is made up of a 40" TV ad; outdoor campaign, online, press advertising; in-store presence and the largest London taxi campaign ever and some ambitious extras, including The Big Blue ticket hunt.

The Big Blue Ticket hunt involves blue tickets placed all over London including in O2 stores as well as some being placed online and consumers will be encouraged to find them. Anyone finding a ticket will have the opportunity to win tickets including VIP tickets to The O2 events as well as other venue experiences.

Creatively, the advertising takes its cues from the O2 campaigns which have preceded it this year but mixes the brand's visual assets with dramatic film and photography of London. The 40" TV takes us on a journey past London landmarks and larger-than-life entertainment icons transposed into the cityscape, ending up at The O2.

VCCP developed the creative for the through-the-line campaign. Michael Sugden, VCCP's Managing Partner, said of The O2 that "it is the literal embodiment of O2's strategy of delivering better experiences for its customers. Everyone who goes to The O2 will have a great time, but there are special experiences and opportunities which only O2 customers can take advantage of, such as priority tickets for events and exclusive areas within the venue. These better experiences are communicated through the different media of the launch campaign, and also inside The O2 itself."

The experiences at The O2 include special priority tickets to all events in the main O2 arena After texting a shortcode from their O2 mobile, customers are sent a unique password which allows them to purchase tickets up to 48 hours before everyone else.

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For further information contact:
Michael Sugden at VCCP on 020 7592 9331 or visit www.vccp.com

About O2

O2 is a leading provider of mobile services to consumers and businesses in the UK. These services include voice, text, media messaging, games, music and video, as well as always on data connections via GPRS, 3G and WLAN. Every month, O2's 17.8 million customers send well over a billion text messages. O2 UK is part of Telefónica O2 Europe which comprises mobile network operators in the UK, Ireland and Slovakia along with integrated fixed / mobile businesses in Germany and the Czech Republic. Telefónica O2 Europe also owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses in the UK and Germany respectively as well as having 100% ownership of Be, a leading UK fixed broadband provider

O2 was ranked as 5th best place to work in the Best Companies to Work for 2007 List and has been awarded a two-star accreditation denoting an 'outstanding' company.