Consumer Tech · Sustainability · Gen Z · 2026

Built by U.

Built to last.

Role

Integrated campaign strategy & creative direction

Sector

Consumer Tech · Sustainability · Gen Z

Year

2026

01 / 17

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— Overview

U is a customisable modular smartphone that evolves with you. Upgrade, not replace — reducing waste and cost without compromise. The brief: prove credibility with Gen Z without losing aspirational pull. Three campaign routes were stress-tested; U Build was selected as the lead.

— The challenge

Over 50 million tonnes of e-waste are generated each year, and smartphones contribute significantly through short product lifespans and 2–3 year replacement cycles. Apple and Samsung dominate on status. Sustainable competitors like Fairphone and Back Market raise awareness but lack cultural pull.

— The insight

Gen Z's Status-Conscious Upgraders care about sustainability — but only after value, identity, and social relevance. The win is repositioning the phone itself: from something you replace into something that evolves with you.

The waste cycle

Gill 2022; WHO 2024; WWF UK 2025

50M+

tonnes of global e-waste each year

2–3 yrs

average smartphone replacement cycle

90%

of U is recyclable, built from recycled materials

Audience reality — Gen Z, 17–24

Statista 2025c, 2025e

55%

say cost of living is the most important issue

46%

ad recall on social media — highest of any channel

44%

of social purchases convert from a 120-min daily session

39%

have been influenced to buy by a creator they follow

— Inside the product

Modular by design

Upgrade a single component — camera, battery, processor — without replacing the whole device.

Built from recycled materials

90% recyclable. Designed end-to-end for the circular economy, not retrofitted into it.

Identity-driven, customisable

Personal, customisable, reflective of who you are — not just what you upgraded to last quarter.

— Pen portrait

Charlie, 17

"I'm not buying the eco phone. I'm buying the one that looks like me."

·Constantly online — switches between TikTok, Instagram, YouTube
·120 minutes a day on social, 80 on streaming
·Cares about sustainability, but value and identity come first
·Drawn to brands that feel personal and customisable

Three routes, one chosen

U Build · U Develop · U Evolve

Route 01

Selected lead route

U Build.

Credibility first · selected lead route

Real test. Real people. Real results.

The campaign

The 30 Day Switch Challenge — invite Gen Z to swap their Apple or Samsung for U for 30 days and document every moment, unfiltered.

What it aims to do

Remove the biggest barrier to entry — scepticism. Prove U can credibly compete with the dominant players on performance, design and daily life, then convert that proof into adoption.

How it works

A long-form documentary series follows a cast of real switchers. Daily TikTok / Reels diaries, weekly YouTube episodes, and a public results dashboard turn lived experience into transparent evidence. Creator partners co-sign the challenge to extend reach.

Channels & formats

Where it shows up

TikTok & Reels diaries
YouTube docu-series
Creator co-signs
Live results microsite

Story arc — the film in three acts

Act 1
The switch begins. Phones handed over on camera — curiosity, scepticism, the 30-day clock starts.
Act 2
The proof unfolds. Battery life, camera, daily use — real data, real upgrades, no scripts.
Act 3
The verdict. Switchers share results. Trust is earned through evidence, not advertising.

Route 02

U Develop.

Culture & emotion

Growth. Expression. Evolution.

The campaign

A music-led collaboration with an emerging Gen Z artist who builds an EP using only U — the phone evolves as the work evolves.

What it aims to do

Borrow cultural credibility from music to reposition U from 'eco phone' to creative tool. Build emotional resonance with identity-led Gen Z who buy into artists before products.

How it works

Partner with one rising artist across a 3-month creative residency. Document the making of the record — voice notes, demos, late-night sessions — all captured on U. Release the EP, the film and a limited co-designed U shell together.

Channels & formats

Where it shows up

Artist partnership & EP
Behind-the-scenes film
Spotify & Apple Music canvas
Limited co-designed shell

Story arc — the film in three acts

Act 1
The spark. An empty studio, a first voice note — every artist starts somewhere.
Act 2
The making. Raw sessions, collaborators, upgrades to U as the sound grows.
Act 3
The release. A device that grew with the work it helped create.

Route 03

U Evolve.

Behaviour change

Buy less. Upgrade smart. Keep longer.

The campaign

Three Lives, One Choice — follow three very different Gen Z lives sharing the same phone format over two years, challenging the upgrade cycle itself.

What it aims to do

Shift behaviour, not just preference. Reframe replacement as a default worth questioning and position U as the movement leading that change.

How it works

A longitudinal brand film tracks three protagonists — a student, a creator, a junior pro — as their lives change but their phone evolves with them. Backed by an open Right-to-Repair pledge, in-store repair bars and a trade-in-to-upgrade-modules programme.

Channels & formats

Where it shows up

Hero brand film
OOH & cinema
Repair bar activations
Right-to-Repair pledge

Story arc — the film in three acts

Act 1
The journey begins. Three lives, three dreams — one shared format.
Act 2
The choice. Challenge the upgrade cycle. Keep what matters. Change what doesn't.
Act 3
The movement. It's more than a phone. It's U.

— SWOT

strengths

·Modular product genuinely differentiated in category
·Built from recycled materials — defensible sustainability claim
·Identity-led design language
·Lower long-term cost than Apple / Samsung upgrade cycles

weaknesses

·Low brand awareness vs. Apple and Samsung
·Sustainability category lacks aspirational reference points
·Higher up-front price than refurbished alternatives

opportunities

·Right-to-repair legislation expanding across Europe & UK
·Cost-of-living pressure on Gen Z spending
·Gen Z prioritise customisation and self-expression
·Creator economy enables credibility-led growth

threats

·Brand perception and status remain key purchase drivers
·Apple and Samsung ecosystem lock-in
·Refurbished and second-hand market offering cheaper alternatives
·Emerging modular competitors in category

"Built by U. Built to last."

— Outcomes

U Build

selected as lead route — credibility before culture

3 routes

stress-tested against the brand promise

Gen Z

17–24 Status-Conscious Upgraders — primary tribe

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