Africa Creative Produces Olivia Rodrigo-Inspired Vivo Campaign for Excessive Screen Time

As concerns about technology’s impact on mental health continue to grow globally, Vivo, Brazil’s leading telecommunications company, has partnered with leading Brazilian advertising agency Africa Creative to launch a thought-provoking campaign addressing smartphone addiction. 

The “Toxic Relationship” campaign uses Olivia Rodrigo's 2021 hit song “jealousy, jealousy” to draw attention to the psychological impact of excessive screen time, particularly among younger generations.

The campaign responds to alarming statistics from the 2024 Mental Health Panorama, conducted by Instituto Cactus and AtlasIntel, which found that 40% of respondents report that likes and comments on social media significantly affect their self-esteem—a dependence on external validation especially prevalent among teens and young adults. The same study reveals that 45% of Brazilians aged 15 to 29 feel intense social media use negatively impacts their mental health, contributing to increased anxiety and depression.

Brazil currently leads Latin America in anxiety and depression cases, with the World Health Organization reporting that 5.8% of the country's population—approximately 11.7 million people—suffer from depression. Additionally, research from VTrends, Vivo’s insights hub, shows that 51% of people lose track of time while using mobile devices.

“As technology takes up more and more space in our lives, we need to find healthier, more balanced ways to engage with our cell phones,” says Marina Daineze, Brand and Communications Director at Vivo. “This is a global and intergenerational issue, and as both an industry leader and a human-centered brand, we believe it’s essential to foster this dialogue.”

The centerpiece of the campaign is a film titled “Toxic Relationship,” which portrays a young woman so absorbed in her smartphone that she fails to notice how the digital world is consuming her life. 

The use of Rodrigo’s “jealousy, jealousy” was chosen specifically for its lyrics about social media’s potential downsides in exacerbating emotional trauma as well as for the pop star’s strong connection with Generation Z. Taken together, the imagery and soundtrack serves as a powerful metaphor for the unhealthy attachments many have developed with their devices.

“Rapid tech advances have left everyone — parents, educators, regulators, academics, and young people in particular — scrambling to fully understand the implications of our hyperconnected culture,” says Mariana Sá, Co-CCO at Africa Creative. “We believe brands must be part of the solution by elevating the dialogue around tech and self-esteem. This campaign’s aim is to spark reflection and encourage more responsible choices. Our work also represents a strategic step in positioning Vivo as an active voice in promoting the conscious use of technology.”

This initiative is part of Vivo’s ongoing commitment to encouraging balanced technology use. The telecommunications giant has consistently taken a proactive stance on digital wellbeing, recognizing its responsibility as an industry leader to promote healthier relationships with technology.

The "Toxic Relationship" campaign invites consumers to set boundaries with their smartphones and develop more mindful digital habits. Through this initiative, Vivo aims to spark meaningful conversations about technology's role in our lives and encourage users to take control of their screen time.

Agency: Africa Creative
Client: Vivo

CCO: Sergio Gordilho
CO- CCO: Mariana Sá
ECD: Rod Barbosa
Head of Design: Bruno Valença 
Creative Director: Diogo Dutra e Thiago Monteiro
Creative: Carlos Schleder, Fabiano Pinel
Campaign and Digital: Julia Miranda, Mayara Sayuri, André Almeida, Bruno Ferreira, Felipe Racca, Tomaz Saavedra, Mateus Martins e Adriano Nuevo

co-COO: Heloisa Pupim
Account Management: Rafael Cardoso, Gabriela Meira e Natália Chamadouro
Media: Pedro Eustáquio, Jefferson Sales, Tatiana Araujo e Jefferson Mendes
Planning: Ana Kuroki, Anne Corbucci, Victoria Franco e Katiane Souza
Content: Patricia Colombo, Aline Botelho e Sacha Brasil

Insights – Innovation and creative research: Estevão Meneguzzo, Eduardo Berardinelli, Bea Ribeiro e Mana Black

Head of Talent: Fernando Alonso
Producer: Paola Arnelas 

Agency Production: Rodrigo Ferrari, Patrícia Melito e Felipe Lopes

Film Production: Don’t Touch My Soda
Director: Felipe Mansur
Executive Production: Maira Massullo e Michelle Lutfy
Account Management: Nicoli Azevedo e Gabriela Andrade "Garça”
CPO | Landscape: Renata Munaretto
Production Coordination | Landscape: Marina Stacciarini
Creative Assistant: Mariana Coropos
Director of Photography: Diego Robaldo
Director of Art: Andrés Zarza
Object Production: Mary Mello
Director of Production: Lu Oppido
Producers: Betinho Baeta e Sara Serra
1st Direction Assistant: Renata Racy
2nd Direction Assistant: Bárbara Silveira
Location Producer: Tati Setton
Cast Production: Alice Wolfenson e Neto Avena
Costume Designer: Marina Vieira
Makeup Artist: Fabiana Mizukami “Mima”
Making of: Apenas ToniPós produção: Nash
Post-Production Coordination: Flávia Gannam
Finishing: Fábio Abreu
Color Grading: Osmar Júnior
Editing: Rodolpho Ponzio

Digital Content Production: Massai
Post-Production Coordination: Jairo Santos, Patricia Rodrigues
Post-Production Coordinator Assistant: Thais Alves
Account Management: Betânia Menardi
Finishing: Douglas Terciano
Editing: Anderson Kidd
Color: Júnior Xis e Daniel Lopes
Composer: Eduardo Nascimento
Motion: Mateus de Oliveira

Sound Production Company: Antfood Music & Sound Design
Creative Direction: Lou Schmidt, Fernando Rojo e Tiago Mago
Executive Production: Renato Castro e Christiane Rachel
Musical Production: Lou Schmidt, Fernando Rojo, Tiago Mago, Luis Bergmann, Vinicius Nunes e Lucas Baldin
Production Coordination: Monique Munhoz e Pablo Mello
Finishing : Bruno Broaska, Fabian Jorge e Pedro Macedo