Amaysim, a challenger, sim-only telco known for their mission to simplify the complexities of life, were launching their new mobile plans. Where competitors offered only increasing amounts of data, Amaysim bucked market trends by offering a streamlined, low-price, low-data plan.

They wanted to create a media story to get people to reconsider their need for ever more GBs.

We needed a relatable, human story which would create talkability around the surprising new direction of the plans, so we harnessed behaviour and culture to create a new reason to engage. We identified/created a new psychological phenomenon which is unconsciously affecting modern society – FOTO, or the Fear Of Throwing Out.

FOTO is that feeling of unease and unhappiness caused by owning something that is too good or hard to throw away, but is encumbering you emotionally. The rowing machine you used once, the size 10 jeans you’ll never fit into, the book you wished you enjoyed reading but don’t. These items sit, unused, as temples to the person you failed to become, taking up space and energy.

We worked with a psychologist and decluttering expert to create explanations and solutions to the behaviour, commissioning research to demonstrate the scale of the problem. We then used the idea to create UGC through a competition on social media.

Media loved the concept which tapped into a universal human condition, interviewing our spokespeople and finding how the trend of getting rid of unneeded clutter extended to all areas of our lives – even our phone plans.

ROLE: Creative Strategy, Concept