The Impossible Wave

He has been an O₂ brand ambassador since October last year and has now proven that you can take on any wave with a ‘can do’ spirit. Even the impossible ones. Sebastian Steudtner, world record holder in big wave surfing, conquered a monstrous wave that was measured at 28.57 metres, beating his world record of 26.21 metres. O₂ and Serviceplan Bubble joined him for six months to tell his ‘can do’ story.

Hamburg, 14 June 2024 — German big wave surfer Sebastian Steudtner may have surfed his biggest wave ever during this season's XXL swell in Nazaré, Portugal. Steudtner conquered a giant wave that was measured at 28.57 metres. The current world record, also held by Steudtner, stands at 26.21 metres and was surfed in Nazaré in 2020. Official confirmation of new world records is the responsibility of the official sports federations and is expected in November.

O₂ and Serviceplan Bubble were on site to cover the ‘can do’ moment of the reigning world record holder. The precise timing was not clear up until shortly beforehand – after all, a potential world record wave is only announced around five to ten days in advance and cannot be reliably predicted until the day of the world record attempt.

On 24 February, fans of big wave surfing were able to follow the action on the O₂ channels in real time. As a result, millions of viewers became actual eyewitnesses as Sebastian Steudtner pushed the boundaries of what was previously possible.

Watch the case film here.

“Surfing is a perfect match for our unique 'can do' spirit. With our engagement in the sport, we want to inspire people and encourage them to push the boundaries, to make the impossible possible. Sebastian's extraordinary 'can do' mindset is what brought him here. That day, he rode the biggest wave ever. We are very proud that we have been by his side and look forward to many more 'can do' moments with him”, says Verena Zerlin, Head of Brand Media & Sponsoring at O₂ Telefónica.

Sebastian Steudtner on his mission: “My 'can do' mentality has pushed me to keep going, pushing the boundaries and at the same time giving something back to the ocean. My journey has been full of 'no's' that have made me say 'yes' to my dream loud and clear. 'can do' perfectly mirrors my attitude of defining possible: nothing is impossible if you believe in your dreams and work hard for them.”

Over the past few months, O₂ has built up its surfing community through a social media campaign by Serviceplan Bubble, focusing on the ‘o2cando’ social media channels on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook und TikTok as well as on o2.de/surfing. Impressions were also shown in the O₂ Studio in Berlin.

A variety of content pieces allowed the target audience to experience Sebastian Steudtner's life and his 'can do' journey. Social native formats such as the 'Weekly Photo Dump trend on Instagram and other trend formats tell the story of Sebastian's journey and show him from spectacular perspectives on the water or during preparations with his team. A reel published on Instagram showing Sebastian Steudtner on the 28.57 metre high wave went viral with almost 9 million views and 80 thousand reactions.

“We brought the O₂ community very close to the action, allowing them to experience Sebastian's 'can do' moment and to follow his journey. This way we have activated target audiences in the 'field of experience' of surfing; we have become a part of them and they a part of us. Through long-term cultural marketing in this area, we authentically charge the O₂ brand with emotion. No other telco provider uses these opportunities as consistently as O₂”, explain Patrick Matthiensen and Leif Johannsen, Creative Managing Partners at Serviceplan Bubble.

The Perfect Wave in Munich: O₂ SURFTOWN MUC

In addition to the partnership with Sebastian Steudtner,is also a partner of ‘O₂ SURFTOWN MUC’. This 20,000 square metre surfing facility in Hallbergmoos, just outside Munich, will be Europe's most spectacular and will open in summer 2024. The height and shape of the waves can be variably adjusted so that surfers can experience individual ‘can do’ moments regardless of their surfing level. ‘O₂ SURFTOWN MUC’ is the first surf park in Germany with real running waves and a sustainable concept.

ABOUT SEBASTIAN STEUDTNER

Local Nuremberg native Sebastian Steudtner has managed to become the world's number one big wave surfer, defying numerous obstacles and setbacks. He describes himself as a waterman and ‘ocean explorer’ and has made it his mission to further explore his element of life: water. . As part of his ‘Mission Wave Alpha’, he has established new safety standards for big wave surfers in recent years and built up his own highly qualified safety team in Nazaré, Portugal. Together with Porsche and Schaeffler, he has also developed a surfboard that enables him, for the first time, to surf waves with heights of 30 or 40+ metres. In collaboration with Porsche, he developed a drone that uses specially developed sensor technology to measure waves. Sebastian Steudtner is also the founder of ‘wirmachenwelle e.V.’, a sports and experiential education organisation that contributes with surfing therapy to the mental and physical well-being of young people.