The unanswered text is one of the most universal sources of parental anxiety. When Vodafone did the research, it found that 92% of Australian parents worry when they haven’t heard from their child, with almost a third saying they worry when they don’t get a reply to a text message. 

Vodafone and Howatson+Company decided to do something about it. According to Vodafone, parents say they spend anywhere from five minutes to over an hour a day wondering whether their kid will call the back, with 36% taking five minutes, 29 per cent taking 10 minutes and 15 per cent going silent for 20 minutes or more. 

The campaign highlights how desperate times can call for desperate measures, with parents willing to go to outrageous lengths just to get their kids to call them back. 

In a bold and hilarious bid to get ignored text and calls returned, three real mums and dads now appear on giant murals outside universities across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Their not-so-quiet plea? Just call me back.

Bec Darley, group chief marketing officer at Vodafone, stated, “We know how important it is to stay connected to our loved ones. This new campaign is designed to show kids just how much their parents want a simple text or call back. The good news is that our student plans offer unlimited calls and texts so kids can stop ghosting their parents and drop them a call or message.”

Richard Shaw, Deputy CCO at Howatson+Company, added, “As soon as you move out of home, you have less contact with your parents and often don’t reply to messages as much as you should. “Did you get my mural?” is a cheeky reminder to students (and other parents) about the fact you get unlimited call and text – so just use it!”

“Did you get my mural?” runs in OOH and content targeting parents and students.

The campaign is supported by Vodafone’s student mobile offer, available from 1 July – 200GB for AU$35 a month on its Small SIM Only plan for the first 12 months (then AU$58 per month), including unlimited standard national calls and texts, and unlimited standard international calls to 37 destinations.

Credits 
Client: Vodafone
Group Chief Marketing Officer, TPG Telecom: Bec Darley
Head of Brand and Marketing: Lisa Cronin
Marketing Lead Vodafone – Prepaid, Postpaid and Fixed: Aggie Padilla
Senior Marketing Manager: Rianne Schuwer

Creative Agency:  Howatson+Company
Chief Executive Officer & Founder: Chris Howatson
Chief Client Officer: Katherine Chen
Senior Business Director: Juliet Loneragan
Senior Business Manager: Beth Tootill
Executive Strategy Director: Katharina Vassar
Strategy Director: Jade Hickey
Deputy Chief Creative Officer: Richard Shaw
Art Director: Jake Rowland
Copywriter: Cindy Diep
Chief Design Officer: Ellena Mills-Stainer
Head of Design: Trent Michael
Designer: Harry Chambers
Studio Lead: Simon Merrifield
Head of Production: Holly Alexander
Producer: Charlotte Breene
Group PR and Influencer Director: Michael Rossiter
PR and Influencer Account Manager: Grace Powers
Media Partner: Apparition Media