Observed Signal · Sep 3, 2026 · Marketing Campaign · Source: Horizont · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
O2 launches 'Mehrbilfunk' ad campaign to reposition beyond mobile
Telefónica's German brand O2 is launching a major advertising campaign to reposition itself beyond mobile communications. The new 'Mehrbilfunk' positioning, developed with lead agency Leo from Publicis Groupe, aims to promote 'Plus Bundles' that combine mobile tariffs with fixed-line, TV, streaming, additional SIM cards and smartphones. The campaign features TV spots and posters using a plus sign as a central design element. The move follows a difficult period: O2's Q2 revenue fell 11% to around €1.8 billion after losing major customer 1&1 to Vodafone, and EBITDA declined 7.2%. Telefónica is also cutting more than 1,000 jobs and closing 60 of 800 O2 shops in Germany. Steve Plesker, Director Brand & Marketing Communications, said the campaign aims to close the knowledge gap that O2 is only a mobile provider.
A major German telecom brand is launching a large multi-channel brand repositioning campaign, indicating significant marketing investment and a notable agency-client mandate, but no fundamental AdTech or MarTech platform shift.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- O2 Telefónica launches a 'Mehrbilfunk' brand repositioning campaign developed with lead agency Leo from Publicis Groupe.
- The campaign promotes 'Plus Bundles' combining mobile tariffs with fixed-line, TV, streaming, additional SIM cards and smartphones.
- O2's Q2 revenue fell 11% year-on-year to around €1.8 billion after losing major customer 1&1 to Vodafone.
- O2's EBITDA declined 7.2% to around €0.6 billion.
- Telefónica plans to cut more than 1,000 jobs and close 60 of 800 O2 shops in Germany.
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mapped“Cost-cutting is currently the order of the day at Telefónica.”
“Following the loss of major customer 1&1 to Vodafone, revenue in the second quarter fell by 11 percent compared to the same period last year...”
“which O2 developed together with lead agency Leo from Publicis Groupe.”
“Following the loss of major customer 1&1 to Vodafone, revenue in the second quarter fell by 11 percent compared to the same period last year...”
“A look at Nielsen figures suggests that the red pencil has also been applied to marketing.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
O2 Telefónica Germany to Cut Over 1,000 Jobs
O2 Telefónica's Germany unit (Telefónica Deutschland) plans to cut more than 1,000 jobs as part of a broad transformation to secure competitiveness. The reduction would eliminate roughly one in six or seven positions from a January headcount of 6,820. The move follows the loss of a major wholesale customer, 1&1, which moved its access to Vodafone in 2024 and transferred about 12 million customers by end‑2025. O2 reported weak 2025 results: revenue fell 3.8% to €8.2 billion and adjusted EBITDA dropped 8.8% to €2.5 billion. Bundesnetzagentur coverage figures (December) show O2's 4G coverage at 88.6% and 5G at 76.2% of Germany's area. Leadership changes and other cost measures (board reduction, voluntary exit agreements) accompany the restructuring.
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Publicis launches Vodafone's Glasfaser@Home campaign
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