Deutsche Telekom is urging Gen Z to take back control of their digital lives with its new Not a Passenger campaign, created by INGO. The campaign tackles the pressure of constant content and online expectations, encouraging young people to make their own choices rather than simply go along for the ride.
Wet Leg frontwoman Rhian Teasdale leads the action for Deutsche Telekom’s Not a Passenger campaign, which brings the strategy to life by way of a high-octane car ride with Teasdale at the wheel. The cinematic film serves as a striking reminder to Gen Z to tune out the backseat drivers served up by algorithms and lock into their own internal signal.
Rhian Teasdale stars in the film, which shows her navigating a barrage of pressures and unsolicited advice, bombarded by noise, opinions, and advice attempting to throw her off track. As she starts the car, a voice announces, “You’re listening to Passenger FM,” and she then sets off around what becomes a computer game-style obstacle course of persistent influencers selling smoothies, muffins, an LED facemask, and street dancers.
Finally, she dramatically takes matters into her own hands, and the film finishes as she makes an active choice not to be a passenger, and the car radio announces that she has changed stations and is now listening to Drivers Seat FM.
Alongside the 60-second hero manifesto film, the brand is staging the Telekom Electronic Beats live experience in Berlin, headlined by Wet Leg. Fans will be able to use social media clues to track down the “Not a Passenger” car featured in the ad, which will move around secret spots in Berlin, to secure a pair of tickets.
INGO’s latest push follows on from last year’s successful Brain Rot campaign, which put a spotlight on the scourge of digital doppelgängers.
“In an age of content overwhelm, filled with noise, opinions, and pressures, Gen Z is fighting to tune into their own identity,” says Ulrich Klenke, chief brand officer at Deutsche Telekom. “As a brand, we believe in the many opportunities that the digital world has to offer, but that the power lies in making it work for - and not against you. We want to empower Gen Z to truly own their world.”
Teasdale from Wet Leg said: “I love being in a band and I love making music, but it’s 2026, which means I also run a couple of social media accounts. And with that comes a constant stream of opinions about me, my friends, and the music we make. Whether those opinions are super sweet and encouraging or creepy and loaded with misogyny, it’s important to me to be able to tune them out and stay on my own frequency. That’s why the message of ‘I’m Not a Passenger’ really clicked with me. We’re all constantly being told who to be by strangers online. Life’s too short not to be at the helm.”
Dan Fisher, global chief creative officer at INGO added, “With this campaign, we’re reminding people of the importance of tuning out the noise and tuning into your own instincts. And who better to work with on a campaign that celebrates the power that comes with owning your own world than the hugely inspiring Rhian Teasdale? At the heart of our work with Deutsche Telekom is a simple idea: technology should help people connect with their world on their own terms, rather than dictate those terms to them.”
The Campaign is launching in Telekom territories Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, and Slovakia across paid channels, social media, out-of-home (OOH), and interactive real-world experiences accompanied by design elements to memes.
Credits
INGO
- Global CCO - Dan Fisher
- Executive creative directors - Anna Salonen & Hanna Stenwall
- Art director - Shilan Shewki
- Copywriter - Agnes Nisbel Fjäll
- Creative - Robin Günther
- Global CSO - Hadi Zabad
- Social & cultural strategist - Wictor Würtzell
- Strategist - Juviann Cuevas
- CEO/business director - Håkan Karlsvärd
- Client lead - Carin Lagergren
- Senior account manager - Klara Bringel
- Account manager - Julia Malm
- Agency producer - Mattias Coldén
- Design director - Anne-Mette Møller
- Motion designer - Amand Chevallier
- Social strategy director - Jack Docherty
- Senior social intelligence strategist - Georgia Weiner
- Social planner - Alice Marchetto
- Influencer manager - Miriam Burgos
Production company
- Production company - Colors
- Director - Charlie Engman
- Executive producer - Julie Mathieu
- Producer - Cecilia Kotula
- Service company - Family Production
Deutsche Telekom
- Ulrich Klenke - Chief brand officer
- Wolfgang Kampbartold - VP international market communication
- Maren Ruddat - Senior brand strategy manager
- Ralf Lülsdorf - Head of music marketing electronic beats
- Julian Bretz – Head of international media
X&Berlin/Universal Music Publishing
- Moritz Bommert - Head of strategy
- Jannis Block – Creative director Universal Music
Robinson + Partners - PR Agency
- Strategy lead - Lucy Boyd
- Senior strategist - Rebecca Ritchie
- Account director - Cynthia Gilbertz
- PR director - Frazer Lawton
- Producer - Krista Lehnhoff
- Producer - Evvie Atkinson
Emetriq – Media Agency
- Julia Seib - Account manager
