The two 30-second spots form the backbone of the pan-European campaign, which encourages consumers to "start something" using a product from t-zones, T-Mobile's suite of advanced mobile products, such as picture messaging or downloadable ringtones.
Data services are seen as a major potential growth area by the mobile operators as revenue from telephone calls plateau and consumers become more comfortable with new products.
T-Mobile was the first mobile network to offer picture messaging in the UK, but has lagged behind rival Vodafone in developing a single brand under which to advertise its range of non-voice products.
The first spot, "pillow fight", opens with a man being chased by someone trying to hit him with a pillow. As the ad unfolds, more people in everyday scenes are seen fighting with pillows, and by the end, whole streets of people are involved. The craze is shown to have been started by someone sending a picture of the original fight.
"Kissing" uses the same idea but starts with a couple kissing in an airport.
It turns out that the ensuing mass kissing craze was kicked off by someone downloading a love song as a ringtone.
The ads all use the strapline: "What will you start?"
The TV work will be supported by an outdoor and press push. It includes a range of 50 interactive posters, called "jukeboxes", which T-Mobile's media planning and buying agency, Universal McCann, claims as a media first. The jukeboxes allow consumers to push a button to play ringtones.
Tracey Stern, a group account director at Universal McCann, said: "The TV coverage is about inspirational programming with wide appeal such as Sunday night films. ITV will help deliver weight and depth with broader entertainment shows and programmes, such as the Grand Prix."
She added: "The picture messaging theme of 'pillow fight' is targeting a group called 'progressives', who are slightly older consumers with established careers who find new gadgets important to their image and what it says about them. 'Kissing' is targeting younger consumers who use less cost-expensive gadgets - a group we call the mobile generation."
A digital campaign, created by Interactive Planet, the creative arm of Universal McCann Interactive, will have expandable banners opening to let web users download ringtones. It will run on websites including FHM.com, MSN and MTV.co.uk.
"Pillow fight" was written by Howard Willmott and art directed by Duncan Marshall. "Kiss" was art directed by Ian Gabaldoni and written by Richard Baynham. They were directed by Dominic Hawley and Nick Goffey at Outsider.
.jpg)
.jpg)