Lebara - Taking on Big Mobile With the Smarter Mobile Network
In the UK, virtually every adult owns a mobile phone. 83% of them own smartphones. That’s a vast audience, but it’s dominated by the Big Four networks: EE, O2, Vodafone, and Three, who together hold nearly 85% of the market.
Lebara saw an opportunity. Consumers were questioning costs during the cost-of-living crisis, but they weren’t just hunting for the cheapest deal anymore. Search data showed “best” had overtaken “cheap” as the top decision driver. People wanted value without compromise: reliable networks, good service, and fair pricing.
Our challenge was simple but ambitious: take on Big Mobile head-to-head. Show Britain that Lebara wasn’t just another MVNO. It was the smarter choice.
The Challenge
The Concept
The Execution
With no physical network and a lean operating model, Lebara needed to scale smartly. Its value-led proposition was often confused with low quality. Meanwhile, legacy networks were raising prices and pushing customers to look elsewhere. We needed to:
Build brand awareness and consideration
To increase Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)
Position Lebara as the Smarter Mobile Network
We built the Smarter Mobile Network campaign rooted in everyday interactions where someone’s made the smarter choice, and isn’t shy about pointing it out. It’s cheeky, true to life, and a gentle nudge at Big Mobile with a raised eyebrow.
This strategy gave us the creative freedom to explore different characters, environments, and scenarios, always landing the same punchline: switching to Lebara just makes sense.
We didn’t just create ads. We created a full-service challenger campaign.
Hero TVC+ – Written, Clearcast approved, produced, and delivered to all major UK broadcasters. Our Hero TVC+ product then adapted the film for Meta (Facebook/Instagram), YouTube, and TikTok, giving Lebara tailored assets across the funnel to drive awareness, consideration, and intent.
Ad Stack Pro – Our proprietary optimisation layer of platform specific creative rolled out across Lebara’s digital infrastructure, fine-tuning paid performance on Meta, YouTube, and TikTok to reduce CPA significantly.
OOH dominance – We created all copy and design for an extensive out-of-home campaign. Platform-specific creative hit commuters where it mattered most, sparking conversation across LinkedIn and IRL.
Radio & Spotify campaign – Written, RACC approved, and produced for national playout, ensuring mass reach with a clear, smart message.
Always-on consultancy – Double W supported Lebara with monthly digital management, ensuring the campaign stayed efficient and effective long after launch
Social-first challenger content – We took the campaign to the streets with a series of vox pops, capturing real people calling out Big Mobile’s annual price-rise bullsh*t. These authentic clips became shareable organic content and digital ads, fueling conversation on Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, and giving Lebara a raw, challenger voice.
Results
This wasn’t just another value campaign. This was Lebara stepping confidently into Big Mobile’s territory.
Millions reached through a multi-channel campaign across TV, radio, OOH, and digital
Hero TVC+ delivered smartly tailored content across every major platform, hitting the full funnel
Ad Stack Pro reduced CPAs and improved conversion efficiency
OOH campaign generated conversation both on the street and on LinkedIn, boosting awareness and brand credibility
Consumer sentiment reflected Lebara’s “Holy Trinity” of Price, Reliability, and Service — with Trustpilot reviews calling it “the best decision I ever made” and “everything just works the way you want it to”
Lebara wasn’t positioned as cheap. It was positioned as smart. A network that offers reliability, great service, and fair prices — all without compromise.
We didn’t just advertise a mobile provider. We helped Lebara take on Big Mobile with confidence and win the battle for smarter customers.