CASESTUDY

Evolving a Classic

Rebuilding O2’s Iconic Bubbles in CGI

From heritage to flexibility, we future-proofed O2’s bubbles with a global-ready motion system and stylised, controllable CGI assets. 

For over two decades, O2’s bubbles have been a core part of the telecommunication brand’s identity, an iconic visual shorthand used across territories and campaigns. Originally captured on film, these assets served the brand well. But as the media landscape evolved, the limitations of the original footage became clear.

Visual inconsistencies were emerging across global markets, and creative teams were struggling to adapt the bubbles for modern formats, platforms, and campaign styles. Lambie Nairn approached Fakery to rethink this familiar asset, preserving its brand equity while giving it the flexibility to meet today’s creative demands.

Preserving the Familiar, Building for the Future

We began by reinterpreting the aesthetic in CGI, staying true to the original spirit of the bubbles while enhancing them with greater control, realism, and adaptability. From soft ambient movement to bold, dynamic bursts, we created a motion library that gave creative teams the tools to scale expression depending on the tone of a campaign.

A critical component of the project was ensuring the bubbles felt visually rich and believable. We developed a system that allowed precise control over internal refraction and surface distortion, the key to ensuring whatever sat beneath or behind the bubble (imagery, typography, background video) retained a stylised yet natural look.

Global Consistency, Local Flexibility

Once the new visual language was established, we delivered a cross-platform asset library supported by a simple, intuitive file structure. This allowed marketing teams across global territories to localise and adapt the content without sacrificing aesthetic integrity or brand coherence.
From TV commercials to social campaigns and digital out-of-home, the updated bubbles are now being used across every brand touchpoint with consistency and impact.

A Trusted Brand, A Delicate Balance

This was more than a technical CGI task; it was the careful evolution of a highly recognised visual asset. Fakery was chosen and trusted to handle the transition, and our work ensures the O2 bubbles can now move confidently into the future with the flexibility and fidelity that today’s brand environments demand.

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