Created by Publicis Conseil, the video spot depicts a woman and man separated by distance but tied by a long orange-coloured thread. Throughout the video, the couple overcome the obstacle of distance in order to be reunited, using a variety of transport – from horseback to motorbike – lending the advert a certain epic air. When they are finally united, a fence still separates the two, before the copy “Orange brings you closer, the rest is in your hands” flashes on screen. Béatrice Mandine, Orange’s director of communications and brand, highlights the “human side” of Orange’s network, suggesting that though Orange doesn’t “propose the most sophisticated solution,” that the company still leaves “everyone free to choose.”

People are becoming increasingly cynical of big tech; social media in particular is somewhere people’s trust has been eroded with 59% of people thinking Facebook will have a net negative effect on society in ten years. Orange’s ad reminds people of the potential for human interconnectedness through technology, while making it clear that it is up to the individual to harness it. So while tech may be changing the environment we live in, it isn’t changing core aspects of human behaviour and a desire for emotional connection with others. Orange’s honesty in regards to tech’s potential may be refreshing for consumers. Elsewhere, in a bid to remind people of its core function to connect people, Facebook also released an advert reminding people of the human connections that underpin the social network, a move prompted by mounting privacy scandals.

Tad Buxton is an intern at Canvas8 which specialises inbehavioural insights andconsumer research. He studies English Literature and History of Art at the University of Edinburgh. When he’s not studying, he enjoys surfing, reading sci-fi novels, and dreaming up new business ideas.