Created by Saatchi & Saatchi, the multimillion pound campaign riffs off a sports news broadcast, with Kevin Bacon appearing alongside BT Sports star Rio Ferdinand as a football pundit.
Their broadcast is interrupted by breaking news that the BT Sport app will be available for free to EE customers for six months. Harry Redknapp and José Mourinho pop up with comical comments on the news. The spot ends on Rio Ferdinand doing a celebratory dance.
The spot was created by Ben Mills and Matt Butterfield at Saatchi & Saatchi, and directed by Hank Perlman through Hungry Man. The TV campaign is supported by print, outdoor, retail and social activity. There is also a digital campaign for the Wembley Cup, created by Poke, which promotes the offer. Media placement was led by MEC.
This is the first joint campaign from BT and EE since the £12.5bn merger completed in February, and significant changes to the EE marketing team.
Chief marketing officer Pippa Dunn departed in January, with brand director Spencer McHugh following suit in June. Pippa Dunn was succeeded by current managing director for marketing, Noel Hamill, while Max Taylor took over as managing director for digital, communications and innovation. McHugh was replaced by Peter Jeavons.
In June, ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 reported BT was reviewing its media after the EE acquisition as it considers consolidating its planning and buying for the two brands. Maxus handles BT, worth upwards of £100m a year, and MEC looks after EE, worth in the region of £60m, at present. Both agencies are part of WPP’s Group M.
Max Taylor said: "This is one of our biggest integrated brand campaigns to date for one of our most exciting customer offers since we launched EE.
"We know how much our customers like watching content on the go – particularly sport – and this offer is a fantastic example of the added benefits our customers get now that we're part of BT Group."
.jpg)
.jpeg)
