I’ve worked closely with O2 for a number of years and during that time I’ve overseen a profound reinvention of the brand’s digital voice. My contribution has included the creation of bespoke sets of ToV guidelines for various channels, designed to harness and focus everything good about O2 into an elevated style of writing across its entire digital domain. Full of character and verve, my copy produced positive metric shifts across the board, repositioning O2 head and shoulders above its nearest rivals.

The real key to cross-platform digital copywriting is recognising the distinct requirements of its various comms channels, while still managing to capture a singular, unifying tone. For O2, this involved me assessing some of its most perceivably on-brand moments across a 20-year history in order to distil the essence of O2’s brand persona and translate them into compelling narratives that resonate across multiple platforms. Slogans like “See What You Can Do” and “Be More Dog” perfectly encapsulate this blend of possibility and playful curiosity, suggesting a world of potential unlocked by O2’s services.

“At O2, we believe your phone should open up your world. It can be your guide, your gateway, your companion. It can connect you to everything that matters—friends, family, work, play. It’s not just a phone. It’s part of your life. See what you can do with O2.” This philosophy was woven into every piece of communication, from sales copy and CRM targeted messaging to functional UX lines and SEO-driven copywriting. The distribution of these messages spanned across three core business streams: eComm (consumer-facing, sales), ePOS (in-store channel for O2 store staff), and eCare (customer service and resolution).

Regardless of the format, great effort was made to keep the language in alignment with a common set of brand values. A consistent copy theme worked across the board to hand off and resolve user journeys and establish revenue-generating new ones. This revision of the tone of voice was conducted in precise alignment with a wider architectural revision of the My O2 platform.

We faced the challenge of optimising My O2 in a way that streamlined the user experience and reduced churn rate, while easing the burden of service requests on call centre staff. This required a complete revamp of the platform’s core information architecture—driven by dedicated workshops conducted to identify pain points across the entire user journey. Supplemented with additional research and user testing, this approach brought into focus a range of new functionalities and features which prioritised the most essential requirements. Our final implementation resulted in a significant uptick in customer retention rates, by better enabling users to resolve issues without needing to contact an agent, illustrating the powerful synergy between thoughtful brand messaging and user-centred design.

Every element of the copy was designed to align with O2’s HERO principles — Human, Engaging, Relevant, Optimistic. Whether presenting options in a breezy, stress-free manner or crafting UX copy that feels personal and direct, the language needed to make O2 service and technology more accessible and engaging. Personal touches like addressing users by their first name or referring to their devices and plans possessively (“your Device Plan”) were strategies I implemented to humanise and personalise interactions, ensuring that O2’s communications foster a stronger connection with customers.

This comprehensive approach aligned with  wider UI/UX overhaul of the My O2 platform, aimed at reducing churn and streamlining user experiences. Through extensive workshops and user testing, I helped identify and integrate new functionalities that addressed users’ most pressing needs, significantly enhancing customer retention. Our efforts led to a more intuitive and user-friendly platform, demonstrating the power of well-crafted communication grounded in an understanding of user psychology and brand identity. This thinking went onto to integrate with O2's design system that defined a visual standard as well as a linguistic one.

In my role as a copywriter at O2, integrating the brand’s distinctive Tone of Voice (ToV) with the Oxygen Design System (ODS) was a central task, especially as the system transitioned from Sketch to Figma. This migration not only represented a shift in toolsets but also a significant opportunity to enhance the collaboration between copywriting and design.

ODS, a comprehensive UI kit running since 2019, encompasses a variety of UI components, templates, and best practice documentation. These resources are crucial for building user-friendly interfaces and layouts. As the design team moved to Figma, known for its collaborative and efficient capabilities, it opened new avenues for integrating copy directly within the design workflow. Figma’s real-time collaboration features allowed for a more dynamic interaction between copywriters and designers, ensuring that textual content and visual design could be developed in tandem.

My effort in weaving the ToV into ODS involved closely working with the design team to ensure that every piece of copy reflected O2’s brand persona — Human, Engaging, Relevant, Optimistic — while adhering to the usability standards set forth in the ODS. This process was facilitated significantly by Figma’s sophisticated prototyping and animation tools, which allowed us to see how copy would live within the UI during the design phase, rather than retrofitting it later.

By re-creating the ODS in Figma, we ensured not only visual and functional consistency across our projects but also established a robust framework for the copy to resonate more effectively with the users. This integration allowed for seamless feedback loops and adjustments, enhancing overall communication and productivity within the team. While the practical copywriting was executed directly inside Figma, accompanying documentation was produced in PDF format to aid wider circulation within O2:

Following the successful integration of the Tone of Voice into the Oxygen Design System and its impressive implementation documented in Figma, I was invited to expand my role further. Recognising the impact and consistency achieved through this system, I was tasked with creating guidelines for executing digital copywriting across O2’s broader communication channels, including emails.

This new set of guidelines was designed to ensure that all digital communications, from promotional emails to transactional messages, adhered to the same high standards of clarity, engagement, and brand alignment demonstrated in ODS. The core of these guidelines centred on how to effectively apply O2’s principles in varied contexts to maintain a consistent brand voice that resonates with our audience on every platform.

In crafting these guidelines, I emphasised the importance of understanding the audience segments and tailoring messages that not only inform but also connect and inspire. This approach aimed to enhance the effectiveness of our email campaigns by making them more personalized and responsive to user needs. Additionally, the guidelines included best practices for leveraging the design elements and templates from the ODS, ensuring that our copywriters and designers continued to work in a highly collaborative and aligned manner.

The end result was a comprehensive digital copywriting guide that served as a cornerstone for all of O2’s email communications, enhancing the coherence of our messaging and strengthening our brand’s voice across all digital touchpoints. This guide has not only improved our team’s efficiency but also elevated the overall quality of our customer interactions, reflecting O2’s commitment to excellence in every aspect of our communications