São Paulo, Brazil — (April 14th, 2025) — 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.
Watch the campaign video here:
“É tempo de mudar seu tempo com o celular” (“It’s time to change the way you spend time on your phone”)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GGrAlVI2Nw
About Vivo
Vivo is the commercial brand of Telefônica Brasil, the leading telecommunications company in the country, with over 116,1 million accesses (4Q24) and a purpose to “Digitalize to Bring Closer.” Vivo is a digital hub, facilitating its customers’ access to services in different areas such as entertainment, sports, digital security, finance, health, and education. It operates in fixed and mobile telecommunications services throughout the national territory and offers a complete and convergent portfolio of products for both B2C and B2B customers. In the mobile segment, Vivo has 102,3 million accesses and holds the largest market share (41,3%) in the country, according to quarterly results (4Q24).
Guided by constant innovation and the high quality of its services, Vivo is at the center of a digital transformation that enhances its customers’ autonomy, personalization, and real-time choices, empowering them to take control of their digital lives with security and reliability. Telefônica Brasil is part of the Telefónica Group, one of the largest communication conglomerates in the world. Recognizing its responsibility to give back to society the trust it receives in the use of its services, the company has the Telefônica Vivo Foundation. With 25 years in Brazil, the Telefônica Vivo Foundation is one of the main pillars of social responsibility in Vivo’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) concept. With a focus on public education, it contributes to the digital development and inclusion of students and educators through projects that stimulate new opportunities for teaching and learning. https://www.vivo.com.br/
About Africa Creative
Africa Creative (www.africa.com.br) is one of the largest and most awarded advertising agencies in Brazil and Latin America, responsible for successful campaigns for some of the country’s most prestigious brands. Africa was founded in 2002 and is part of Omnicom Group’s DDB Worldwide.
