Rhian Teasdale, Frontwoman of the band, Wet Leg, leads the campaign for Deutsche Telekom's 'Not a Passenger' campaign. The campaign strategy is demonstrated through a fast-paced driving sequence featuring Teasdale as the driver.
The film aims to serves as a reminder to Gen Z to ignore the "backseat drivers" that are algorithms and embrace their own "internal signal", says the partnership.
Teasdale stars in the film, which shows her navigating a barrage of pressures and unsolicited advice, attempting to throw her off track. As she starts the car, a voice announces, "You're listening to Passenger FM", she then experiences a computer game-style obstacle course of social media influencers selling smoothies, muffins, an LED facemask and street dancers, adds the partnership.
The film finishes as Teasdale makes an active choice not to be a passenger, and the car radio announces that she has changed stations and is now listening to "Drivers Seat FM".
Alongside the 60-second film, the brand is staging the Telekom Electronic Beats live experience in Berlin, headlined by Wet Leg. Fans will be able to use social media clues to track down the 'Not a Passenger' car featured in the ad, which will move around secret spots in Berlin, to secure a pair of tickets, says the partnership.
INGO's latest project follows on from last year's 'Brain Rot' campaign, which aimed to emphasise the danger of digital doppelgängers.
"In an age of content overwhelm, filled with noise, opinions, and pressures, Gen Z is fighting to tune into their own identity," says Ulrich Klenke, Chief Brand Officer at Deutsche Telekom. "As a brand, we believe in the many opportunities that the digital world has to offer, but that the power lies in making it work for — and not against you. We want to empower Gen Z to truly own their world."
"I love being in a band and I love making music, but it's 2026, which means I also run a couple of social media accounts. And with that comes a constant stream of opinions about me, my friends, and the music we make," says Teasdale.
"Whether those opinions are super sweet and encouraging or creepy and loaded with misogyny, it's important to me to be able to tune them out and stay on my own frequency. That's why the message of 'I'm Not a Passenger' really clicked with me. We're all constantly being told who to be by strangers online. Life's too short not to be at the helm."
"With this campaign, we're reminding people of the importance of tuning out the noise and tuning into your own instincts. And who better to work with on a campaign that celebrates the power that comes with owning your own world than the hugely inspiring Rhian Teasdale?" says Dan Fisher, Global Chief Creative Officer at INGO.
"At the heart of our work with Deutsche Telekom is a simple idea: technology should help people connect with their world on their own terms, rather than dictate those terms to them," adds Fisher.
The Campaign is launching in Telekom territories Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland and Slovakia across paid channels, social media, out-of-home (OOH) and interactive real-world experiences accompanied by design elements to memes, concludes the partnership.
For more information, visit www.telekom.com. You can also follow Deutsche Telekom on Facebook, LinkedIn, or on Instagram.
*Image courtesy of contributor