# Festive Anti-Tech Ads Telus' Phone Commercial Urges People to Unplug This Holiday Season By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-12-12 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/phone-commercial References: [marketingmag](http://www.marketingmag.ca/advertising/telus-campaign-tells-families-to-unplug-for-the-holidays-132447?rss=yes) Rather than promoting its devices as something that you must have for the holiday season and can't live without, this [phone commercial](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/john-lewis-2025) from [Telus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-friday-giveback-promotion) advises that unplugging for the season to spend time with family instead. The commercial stars a little girl and her bear magically bringing members of the family household together with the wave of a magical wand. Rather then pushing products, Anne Marie LeBerge, VP of brand and marketing communications describes that at Telus, "Yes we are a telco, and we sell phones, but we fundamentally believe that people should put their phone down, or their [iPad](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/launchly), or turn off their TV—and go play with their children." The commercial is being tied with the #HolidayMode campaign, which encourages people to share how they unplug for the holidays for the chance to win prizes. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 13% | Activity: 57% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Unplugging for the Holidays:** Telus' commercial encourages people to put down their devices and prioritize spending time with family during the holiday season. - **Family-centric Advertising:** The commercial highlights the importance of family time and promotes a shift away from technology-focused marketing. - **Digital Detox Movement:** The #HolidayMode campaign promotes the idea of taking a break from technology and embracing a digital detox during the holidays. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Telecommunications:** Telus' commercial challenges the traditional sales approach of promoting devices and instead focuses on valuing family time. - **Advertising and Marketing:** The commercial exemplifies a new approach to advertising that prioritizes promoting values and experiences over products. - **Entertainment and Media:** The #HolidayMode campaign taps into the growing trend of digital detoxes and promotes alternative ways to enjoy the holiday season. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Social Good Phone Promotions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/black-friday-giveback-promotion.md) - [Peaceful Holiday Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/take-a-holiday-from-the-holidays.md) - [Warm Tech Holiday Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/a-friend-for-christmas.md) - [Distraction-Free Flip Phones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/consumer-cellular.md) - [Swapped Phone Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kitkat-phone-break.md) - [Minimizing Phone Usage Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heinekens-latest-campaign.md) - [Retro Phone-Free Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/before-the-internet.md) - [Emotionally Engaging Holiday Advertisements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-power-of-wishes.md) - [Social Mobile Phone Plans](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/heimobile.md)