Uncommon Creative Studio has found a unique proposition for British telco, BT. Behind Brilliant Things makes BT the enabler of hope, the antidote to a world feasting on negativity.
The campaign moves BT form the background – quietly powering the country through moments big and small for mre than 180 years, often behind the scenes – to be the force behind quiet confidence and radical optimism – celebrating and reminding people what BT and the UK are capable of.
Lucy Jameson, co-founder at Uncommon Creative Studio, noted, “The state of the news and our national infrastructure makes us feel like everything in the UK is getting worse. But BT offers a different story — the group has been quietly and efficiently upgrading our digital infrastructure, connecting us all, protecting us all from millions of cyber threats and supercharging the economy. This is a story where BT and Brits are bucking the negative trend. Making brilliant things happen everyday. Our work celebrates those moments and reminds us that there’s lots to feel optimistic about. BT isn’t just connecting the country, it’s helping it to move forward. At Uncommon, we’re built to help brands navigate through moments of change. BT is one of the few British brands that has the scale, legacy and credibility to tell a genuinely national story.”
The relaunch shines a light on all the brilliant things that BT enables, often unknown, that connect, protect and supercharge the nation. It begins a new era for BT with an unignorable nationwide campaign, that is part of an ongoing brand re-design of the brand.
The campaign launches with a rousing anthemic film capturing one brilliant day in Britain enabled by BT, told through light – a visual metaphor for connectivity, energy and possibility – showing the scale of BT’s impact. The hero film is supported by a series of short films that highlight all the brilliant things BT does behind the scenes – from protecting the UK from millions of cyber threats every single day, to answering and connecting the nation’s 999 calls (only BT does this) to connecting more businesses and homes than any other network. All while featuring real BT employees celebrating the incredible work they do day in, day out.
At the centre of the campaign is a distinctive new creative device – the toggle – designed to reveal the before and after of BT’s impact, showing how it enhances, protects and transforms everyday moments across the UK. It channels the ruthless simplicity and modernity of the best tech brands.
The copy-led outdoor and print executions tell stories about not only the brand’s function but also the emotional role it plays in people’s lives. High-dwell locations include longer copy executions and sequencing to tell more expansive stories about BT’s role across the UK.
This is complemented by a series of more tactical executions across social and digital, adapting the same storytelling approach for different contexts and moments, and extending the campaign’s reach and relevance.
Cilesta Van Doorn, chief brand and marketing officer, BT Group, stated, “This is a significant moment for BT as we bring renewed energy and focus to one of the UK’s most iconic brands. Every day millions of customers depend on BT, to enable them to do brilliant things. Our biggest campaign this decade ‘Behind Brilliant Things’, proudly brings this to life, celebrating the role BT plays in the moments that matter most to people across the UK.
“Through this campaign, we are stepping forward with a clear purpose to ensure BT is as relevant, distinctive and meaningful in people’s lives today as it has been throughout its history — championing Britain to do brilliant things. We are proud that together, BT and Uncommon have shaped a cultural brand platform that reflects both our ambition and our responsibility. This is about bringing BT back into the conversation in a way that feels modern and true to who we are.”
All media planning and buying was handled by OpenConnect, part of WPP Media. The nationwide campaign also includes Welsh versions of the film and outdoor. The full campaign covers TV, outdoor, press, radio and digital with more brand activity set to launch across the year.
Credits:
Client: BT
Creative Studio: Uncommon Creative Studio
Production company: Love Song
Director: Daniel Wolfe
2nd Unit Director: Louis McCourt
Editor: Scot Crane, The Quarry
Love Song Producer: Maeve McMahon
Love Song MD: Shirley O’ Connor
DOP: Eponine Momenceau
2nd Unit DOP: Gregory Oke
Post-production Co: Stray London
Post-production Producer: Chloe Kerr
Grade: Jason Wallis, ETC
Soundtrack Composer: Karman Line Collective. Remixed by Luis Almau ℅ Soundtree Music
Music Supervisor: Sunny Kapoor @ Curation
Audio Post-production: Ed Downham & Ned Sisson @ King Lear Music and Sound
Media Agency: WPP Media
President: Rebecca Marshall
Chief Strategy Officer: David Wilding
Head of Strategy and Planning: Anna Martorana
Vice President: Carly Murray
Business Director: Taylan Siseci
Account Director: Mikhail Vallance
Media Planning: WPP Media
