EE Relaunches As A Platform Service, With Marketing Blitz By Publicis Groupe

EE, one of the UK’s largest subscription businesses, has unveiled a landmark shift toward platform services, expanding its offering from selling traditional telecoms to become an open-access platform that will support consumers at home, at work, and when they’re learning or gaming.

The new EE brand will debut with the biggest marketing campaign since EE launched in 2012.

Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi, Digitas, Boomerang, Publicis•Poke, Zag and Prodigious developed the multi-channel customer communications, innovative digital tools, brand identity, social, retail stores, product and services positioning and production for the campaign. The addressable first media, audience planning and buying was led by longstanding media partner EssenceMediacom X.

Christian Thrane, MD of Marketing at EE, said: “We have built a new brand that plays a bigger, more relevant and more personal role in our customers lives; a brand that, despite using the same colours and logo, will show up very differently, doing far more than simply the mobile and broadband we’re currently known for.

"We will be putting our customers at the heart of our brand campaigns; featuring real UK families from all walks of life; our new TV adverts will bring to life the new roles EE will play in our customers lives. The brand has come a long way since the iconic 2012 launch campaign ‘six degrees of Kevin Bacon’; although his familiar face won’t feature in the TV campaigns, his instantly recognisable voice will still help us to tell these stories.”

Richard Huntington, CSO of Saatchi & Saatchi, said of the launch campaign: “It genuinely shows what we mean by marketing led business transformation at Publicis Groupe UK. A complete reinvention of the entire customer experience built from the brand out and designed to serve more of our customers’ lives with new products, services and experiences.”

The launch also marks the retirement of the BT brand as a consumer-facing brand. BT, which owns EE, will now be retained solely as a business customer brand.

As part of the launch, Publicis Groupe has curated four hero films for the integrated campaign launching on 20 October, which also spans above and below the line, physical and digital experience and paid, owned and earned channels.

The campaign will center around four key ‘need states’, identified and developed around new EE customer’s core needs for the brand.

HOME
The first of the launch campaign narratives illustrates the benefits of EE’s WiFi controls for families struggling with the universal saga of bedtime. The energetic film, set to iconic British anthem Insomnia by Faithless, depicts children wreaking havoc at bedtime in the homes of families up and down the country; as the ad reaches its crescendo in a fast paced montage of young faces determined to ignore their despairing families, the film demonstrates how harmony can be restored with the simple swipe of a finger, as parents use EE WiFi controls to switch off their kids devices and get them to drift off to sleep. Bespoke DOOH, OOH, print and social executions offer expert advice for parents and families to educate on how to effectively use EE WiFi controls.

GAME
The second of these street cast spots representing the diverse faces of the nation by featuring real people, rather than actors, will show the UK how to level up their gaming with Game Mode on EE. Once again grabbing the attention of viewers with another iconic British soundtrack – It’s Not Over Yet by The Klaxons - the film is set on a dreary Sunday conveying a feeling of boredom as the many protagonists clock watch their way through the afternoon. There is a palpable change in tempo as the viewer sees ‘Game Mode’ activated, broadband bandwidth prioritised, and the day transformed into ‘Sunday Funday’ with each of the featured households engaged in an epic gaming session. The game narrative also sits across hero DOOH and OOH, print, social, in retail including dedicated gaming bays, and informs a number of interactive online digital tools and guides to support parents manage age-appropriate purchases for their children.  

LEARN
The third brand campaign that will go live at launch across TV and cinema captures the teenage experience. Capturing the sense of freedom felt up and down the country as the final school bell rings, the fast-paced cinematic edit, set to So We Are Here by Bloc Party, also sensitively shows the multitude of ways young people are using technology during this daily window of time, including the challenges faced. The film highlights an opportunity for the UK to discover all that EE Learn has to offer. Alongside the film, new EE features a learning tool partnership with Calm, and bespoke DOOH, OOH, print and social executions.

Marc Allera, CEO of EE, said: “Today we’re incredibly proud to be launching a new platform for the UK, open to anyone and everyone – that will transform our customers’ experience beyond connectivity.

“With an EE ID, customers nationwide will be able to access a wide range of exciting new products, services and experiences across new sectors – easily and conveniently, in one place. We are also evolving the EE brand, while at the same time doubling down on great new connected products, with the launch of the fastest broadband, best value convergence, and exciting new TV services.”

The platform, accessible via the EE App and online, allows users to access products and services from various tech companies. The initial release includes traditional network products, a Consumer Electronics Shop, Gaming, Home Security, Insurance, and Subscription services. EE ID, powered by multi-factor authentication, ensures the security of personal data.