EE’s new campaign is an online course for phone safety

‘PhoneSmart’ by EE is the Nation’s First Phone Licence to help protect kids

By Creative Salon

A new campaign and creative concept has been developed by EE’s advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi to support a new online course for the mobile provider.

The initiative, called PhoneSmart, is a free-to-access online course aimed at 10–13-year-olds getting their first phone, and is designed to educated them on how to stay safe and be kind online.

The EE PhoneSmart digital learning platform was designed and built by Digitas.

Those who manage to complete the digital online course are deemed to have developed the skills and knowledge to operate safely online and will be awarded the 'EE PhoneSmart Licence’

To mark the launch of the EE PhoneSmart Licence and encourage parents and guardians and their children to take part in the course, EE has unveiled a short film, featuring musician Clement Marfo, highlighting not only the breadth of things that can be done with a phone, from creating new dance routines to learning a new skill, but also the dangers that children may be exposed to.

The EE PhoneSmart Licence was created in response to parents’ and guardians’ concerns around the challenges presented by giving a child their own device. Research from Ofcom revealed that 49 per cent of 8 to 11 year-olds own their own smartphone. That number increases to 91 per cent for 12 to 15 year-olds, with 81 per cent having had at least one potentially harmful experience online in the past year.

The hour-long course was created in collaboration with experts from Internet Matters, and in consultation with Home-Start, ChildNet, Marie Collins Foundation and the Anti-Bullying Alliance, and is split into four modules; online hate, digital wellbeing, staying safe online and digital & media literacy.

Designed to actively engage 10 to 13-year-olds, each module features animated storylines, interactive quizzes and activities, all highlighting the benefits and dangers of phones, and helping them to understand how they can identify and report instances of online abuse, hate, discrimination and cyberbullying.

Kelly Engstrom, brand & demand generation communications director at EE said: “The build up to getting your first phone is both exciting and daunting for children and their parents. The EE PhoneSmart Licence was created to help navigate this milestone, equipping young people with an understanding of phone safety.

Our mission as the UK’s leading network is to connect for good, and by educating the next generation on how to avoid dangers and get the best from their first phone, we can play our part in keeping children safe online. We believe that every child should be safe online which is why we’ve made the course free and available to everyone, regardless of what network they’re on.”

Dan Treichel, executive creative director, Saatchi & Saatchi, said: “When cars were first around, anyone could drive without any training. And sure enough, this proved dangerous and a course and driving licence were brought in to keep people safe. Like getting your first car, getting your hands on your first smartphone is a big moment, full of excitement and promise, but with risks.

The iPhone was released in 2007 but until now, there wasn’t a course to teach people how to be safe and kind when using their smartphones. With PhoneSmart Licence, kids will now have the tools and know-how to navigate this new world safely and parents and carers will have the reassurance they need.”

CREDITS

CAMPAIGN TITLE: EE PHONESMART LICENCE

CLIENT: EE

ADVERTISING AGENCY: SAATCHI & SAATCHI

CCO: GUILLERMO VEGA

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: DANIEL TREICHEL

HEAD OF ART: RODRIGO CASTELLARI

COPYWRITER: OLIVIA WESTON, CRISTIANA CANDIDO

ART DIRECTOR: EMILY DOWNING,

PLANNER: JACK TREW, MIKE PHILLIPS

BUSINESS LEAD: CHARLOTTE ELWIG, EMILY BENNETT

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: TRISHIKA RAMRAKHA, CHARLOTTE JOHNSTON