Unanswered Children

The Unanswered Children – Norlys and Accenture Song launched a powerful film addressing parents’ screen use.

In a new campaign developed in collaboration with the NGO Digitalt Ansvar, Norlys aims to highlight unhealthy screen habits.

Norlys’ research shows that 81 percent of Danes aged 18–35 want to reduce one or more aspects of their screen usage, while the figure is 59 percent for the population as a whole.

“Unhealthy screen habits are a societal challenge that no one can solve alone,” says Eva Lundgren, Brand & Marketing Director at Norlys. “But as a telecom company, we have both the responsibility — and the opportunity — to make a difference and be part of the solution.”

The campaign, called “The Unanswered Children”, was created together with Digitalt Ansvar and follows Norlys’ entry into the telecom market after retiring the Telia brand earlier this year.

An App Designed to Help
One of the concrete solutions is the app “Skærm Tiden” (“Screen Time”). Norlys has partnered with Digitalt Ansvar to help Danes gain more control over their screen usage. “The purpose of the app is to limit how much time someone spends on their screens and help free up more time for presence and meaningful connections,” says Lundgren.

Instead of moralizing, the app is designed to empower users to make conscious choices about how they use their time. “It’s not about banning technology; it’s about building awareness and balance,” she adds.

The free app tracks how much time a user spends on their phone and when they use it most. Based on this data, users can lock certain apps during specific times or in specific locations — for example, at home, in a summer house, or where their children spend time.

Highlighting Unconscious Screen Use
The campaign, developed by Accenture Song, is based on insights from children’s perspectives on their parents’ screen use.

“It was important for us and Norlys that the story doesn’t become ‘phones are bad,’ because they’re used for so many great things,” says Emil Asmussen, Executive Creative Director at Accenture Song Copenhagen.

“But there is a dark side when screens take over our physical interactions, and we begin to ignore each other,” he continues.

During the creative process, the team explored the concept of “phubbing” — a combination of “phone” and “snubbing,” meaning ignoring someone in favor of the phone.

“As many of us recognized from our own daily lives, the phone steals our attention and takes away from those closest to us,” says Aske Kror, Creative at Accenture Song.

Research showed that many children today find it difficult to reach their parents when they are absorbed in their phones. This insight became a powerful and relevant angle for the campaign.

In the campaign visuals, small red notification bubbles hover above children when their parents are preoccupied with their phones.

Partnership with a Non-Profit
Norlys is collaborating with Digitalt Ansvar, a non-profit dedicated to promoting responsible digital development and protecting fundamental rights.

Norlys contributes data insights and financial support, while Digitalt Ansvar conducts behavioral research to understand how people can best navigate addictive digital environments.

Their joint findings will be turned into practical tools such as mobile-settings adjustments, app recommendations, and guides.

Accenture Song created the concept and campaign content for “The Unanswered Children”, while Consid developed the app Skærm Tiden. Media buying is handled by Orchestra, and Radius is responsible for PR.