Client: Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile’s ‘Phoney Friends’ campaign tackled one of the fastest-growing challenges facing families in the digital age: AI-driven misinformation. As advances in AI and manipulated content blur the line between real and fake online, Tesco Mobile partnered with Internet Matters to help children, parents and teachers better understand and navigate these emerging risks. Launched alongside Tesco Mobile’s £200,000 Community Fund, the campaign aimed to raise awareness of online safety and drive applications from schools for technology and education grants. New research from Internet Matters revealed misinformation had overtaken screentime as parents biggest online safety concern, with 8 in 10 worried about children being exposed to false information and fake AI-generated content online. To make this complex technological issue accessible to younger audiences, One Green Bean developed a creator-led content strategy centred on gaming influencer Angry Ginge - a trusted voice with first-hand experience of misinformation through deepfake content shared about him online. The result was ‘Phoney Friends’: a playful, interactive content concept using familiar YouTube-style formats and gamified storytelling to help children understand how AI-generated and manipulated content can distort reality. The campaign blended influencer culture, gaming mechanics and education to transform online safety into a shareable, classroom-ready experience. The campaign generated 266+ pieces of earned coverage, over 3M social views and 18,838 nominations while driving 1,348 school applications - exceeding expectations by 237%. Crucially, it delivered lasting educational impact, with 237 schools registering to Digital Matters and 1,773 lesson pack downloads supporting long-term digital literacy and behaviour change.
