The campaign "Together season is finally back" by Orange, created with Publicis Conseil, uses a poignant narrative centered around a snowman confined indoors during winter to symbolize the collective experience of isolation and separation caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns. The brand proposition hinges on Orange’s role as a constant, reliable connector during extended periods of physical distance, emphasizing its technology’s function in sustaining personal and professional relationships despite challenging circumstances. This positions Orange not just as a communications provider, but as an enabler of human connection and emotional continuity in difficult times.
Strategically, the campaign leverages the shared cultural moment of Christmas—a time traditionally associated with reunion and togetherness—to resonate emotionally with its French audience, who have endured long months of separation. The creative angle uses relatable storytelling and gentle symbolism to reflect the audience’s lived experience of waiting, confinement, and hopeful anticipation for reconnection. By anthropomorphizing a snowman’s isolation and eventual reunion with friends, the film underscores the emotional value behind Orange’s technological offerings, moving beyond features to highlight their impact on everyday social bonds. The campaign’s timing around the holiday season and its narrative approach target individuals and families eager to regain lost time with loved ones, reinforcing Orange’s relevance in both professional and personal spheres during a pivotal moment of reopening and recovery.
FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM — Uses symbols or analogies to represent the problem instead of showing it literally.
This campaign fits FORMAT#3 because it uses the snowman’s plight—staying confined in a refrigerated house, unable to reunite with friends—as a symbolic analogy for the lockdowns and social isolation experienced by people during the pandemic. Rather than directly depicting humans stuck indoors or showing literal use of technology, the campaign leverages the snowman as an emotional metaphor for longing, separation, and anticipation for reunion. The narrative centers on his symbolic predicament, connecting Orange's technology to bridging emotional distances, but does not show the product as a direct problem-solver within the story.
1. Bouygues Telecom – Positioned as a customer-centric telecommunications provider, Bouygues Telecom focuses on delivering reliable network quality and competitive pricing. The brand emphasizes innovation in mobile, internet, and TV services, targeting both consumer and business segments with flexible offers and strong customer support to build loyalty.
2. SFR (Altice France) – SFR differentiates itself through bundled service offerings combining mobile, internet, and TV, with a strong emphasis on entertainment content and exclusive partnerships. The brand targets diverse customer segments by leveraging its extensive network infrastructure and positioning as a comprehensive digital lifestyle provider.
3. Free (Iliad) – Known for disrupting the French telecom market, Free adopts a bold pricing strategy with no-frills, straightforward plans. It positions itself as an innovator, championing transparency, simplicity, and competitive offers, appealing mainly to cost-conscious and tech-savvy consumers.
4. Orange Business Services – As the B2B arm of Orange, it holds a strong market position providing integrated ICT solutions, including cloud, cybersecurity, and IoT, differentiating through high-end technology expertise and global reach catering to large enterprises and public sector clients.
5. Huawei France – While primarily recognized as a telecommunications equipment provider, Huawei also competes in consumer electronics with smartphones and tech solutions. It positions itself on innovation and affordable advanced technology, targeting users seeking cutting-edge features at competitive prices.
Q: What is Together season is finally back about?
A: Together season is finally back is a 2021 Christmas campaign from Orange, created in partnership with Publicis Conseil for the French market. The campaign centers on a heartwarming film that follows the life of a snowman confined to his refrigerated home, serving as a metaphor for the isolation experienced during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Through this symbolic narrative, the campaign celebrates the long-awaited return of togetherness during the holiday season and highlights Orange’s role in keeping people connected, both professionally and personally, throughout periods of separation.
Q: What creative device does Together season is finally back use?
A: Together season is finally back employs FORMAT#3 SYMBOLIZE THE PROBLEM, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. Instead of depicting the pandemic’s impact literally, the campaign uses the snowman’s confinement as an emotional analogy for the collective experience of lockdown and social isolation. This symbolic approach allows the narrative to resonate universally, connecting Orange’s technology to the emotional longing for reunion without directly showcasing the product as a problem-solver within the story.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Together season is finally back?
A: The campaign proposition for Together season is finally back positions Orange as a steadfast enabler of human connection during challenging times. By leveraging the cultural significance of Christmas and the shared experience of prolonged separation, the brand addresses individuals and families eager to reunite after months apart. Orange underscores its role as a reliable connector, emphasizing how its technology has maintained both personal and professional relationships, and framing itself as essential to emotional continuity and meaningful reconnection in the Electronics and Technology sector.
Q: How does Together season is finally back rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Together season is finally back holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 63/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, the quality of its execution, and its cultural relevance within the context of holiday advertising and the post-lockdown period.
Q: Who are the competitors in Orange's category?
A: In France’s telecommunications and technology sector, Orange competes with Bouygues Telecom, which focuses on customer-centric service and network reliability; SFR, known for bundled offerings and a strong entertainment content strategy; Free, which appeals to cost-conscious and tech-savvy consumers with disruptive pricing and simplicity; Orange Business Services, the brand’s own B2B arm specializing in integrated ICT solutions for enterprises; and Huawei France, which targets users seeking innovation and advanced technology at accessible prices.
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