Vivo has introduced the fourth edition of its #SwitchOff campaign with a video that illustrates the negative impact of excessive smartphone use on relationships, particularly among married couples.
The campaign is based on findings from vivo and Cyber Media Research’s study “Impact of Smartphones on Human Relationships 2022,” which found that 88% of married Indians believe that excessive smartphone use is damaging their marriage.
The film, created by FCB India, shows a wife writing an email to her husband to tell him she is sick, prompting the husband to realize the need to switch off his smartphone to be more present in their relationship.
Speaking about the film, Yogendra Sriramula, Head Brand Strategy, vivo India, said, “Smartphones have permeated every aspect of life and the pandemic has only deepened its penetration. However, this is emerging as one of the stringent barriers to one-on-one human connections. Unintentionally, excessive usage of these devices is impacting the intimate relationship we share with our partners. Even while we may be physically present with them, our minds are always indulged in our phones, resulting in decreased attention towards our partner. The fourth edition of the ‘Switch off’ campaign is vivo’s effort to raise awareness and initiate a dialogue on how excessive smartphone use by spouses is harming their relationships with their better halves. This heart-touching and eye-opening film depicts the changing relationship dynamics of married couples along with their addiction/dependence on their smartphones.” As a responsible brand, vivo endeavors to sensitize the users, especially married couples on the importance of prioritising quality time with their partner over quantity.”
Adding to that, Abhinav Kaushik, President FCB India, said, “While technology has been an enabler for a lot of things in our lives, the all-pervasive nature of technology has also started to intrude our lives & relationships. When we are spending too much time on the phone, we are in a way isolating the people around ourselves and compromising the human relationships. The technology should get people to come close and not create distances in relationships. ‘Switch Off’ by Vivo is a bold campaign that is not just a message but an attempt at recognizing the problem and creating ‘an act not an ad’ that encourages people to switch on human connections while switching off their device. The spousal relationship and the emotion between the couple forms for an eye-opening story that most of us can relate to.”
