BT's 'horror film' shows how to avoid broadband nightmares

Saatchi & Saatchi's new work, which takes the form of a short horror film, highlights BT's unbreakable connection

By Creative Salon

09 May 2022

BT has launched its latest advertising campaign, Broadband Nightmares, which takes the form of a short horror film to showcase the power of BT’s Halo 3+ Hybrid Broadband in combatting the nation’s broadband frustrations.

The spot dramatises internet outages in the shape of a short horror film, bringing to life a family’s internet nightmares through the perspective of the family’s dad.

The campaign opens on the router blinking with an orange light, before showing a family going about their daily connected lives at home – son and dad downloading a film, mum on a Zoom call and daughter on an iPad. All of a sudden, the room plunges into darkness, revealing a new nightmare-like version of the family’s reality. The Wi-Fi is down.

The iPad displays the dreaded ‘wheel of death’, and the TV screen shows a warped downloading page. The dad has been struck by a broadband nightmare and shouts out in despair.

The moment is punctured by a BT router and EE router appearing next to each other; “Together BT and EE bring you Unbreakable WiFi. Only BT’s hybrid broadband is backed up by EE the UK’s best mobile network”, restoring the family’s status quo.

Pete Jeavons, Marketing Communications Director at BT and EE comments: “We are spending more time at home, especially due to the increase in hybrid working. That’s why it is so important to have a network you can rely on. Our new and refreshed campaign highlights our unbreakable Halo 3+ hybrid broadband and reminds our customers and viewers that BT and EE provide the enviable connection needed to get on with the day.”

Will John, Executive Creative Director, at Saatchi & Saatchi said: “If your broadband has ever gone down while your kids are watching Peppa Pig or gaming and you’re streaming your favourite show, you’ll know how much of a nightmare your home can become. It can quickly go to quite a dark place. For this campaign we wanted to tap into that and build on the success of our Broadband Rage campaign, dramatising BT Hybrid Broadbands capabilities in a new and insightful way.”

This follows the successful Broadband Rage campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi last year, which dramatised the unbreakable connection of BT’s hybrid broadband, the UK’s first unbreakable home Wi-Fi.

The 30-second TV spot, developed by BT’s advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, goes live with a nationwide TV campaign tonight, 6th May, during Channel 4’s Gogglebox. The campaign will also run across out of home (OOH) and video on demand (VOD), with edits and content developed specifically for a range of digital and social channels.

For more information on BT’s hybrid broadband, backed up by EE; checking your speed, and picking a plan, customers can visit https://www.bt.com/exp/halo

ADVERTISING AGENCY: Saatchi & Saatchi

CCO: Guillermo Vega

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: William John

COPYWRITER: Henrik Ridderheim

ART DIRECTOR: Rodrigo Castellari

PLANNER: Ophelia Stimpson

BUSINESS LEAD: Charlotte Elwig

SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Rebecca Colman

AGENCY TV PRODUCER: Alex Pemberton

AGENCY CREATIVE PRODUCER: Abigael Wilson

MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: Essence

MEDIA PLANNER: Rachel Cowley