HELPFUL REFERENCE VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION/TONE: The following are current videos on T-Mobile's YouTube Channel that do a nice job exploring and explaining different, though we are looking for your videos to be more engaging, entertaining, out of the box, and original while maintaining a format for a cohesive series.
T-Mobile is America's largest and fastest 5G Network, which has established itself as not only a telecommunications company but also a premium retailer. They truly stand out for the amazing technology, initiatives, and benefits the brand has to offer their customers that incorporate into their everyday lives. As T-Mobile updates its YouTube channel this year, they want to move away from the traditional explainer videos and phone unboxings that everyone expects to find; instead, it's time to freshen things up, do something a little unexpected, and start programming outside-the-box content that feels a lot more creative and engaging. They want to captivate viewers, whether or not they're actually T-Mobile customers, and take a look at all the different tech out there - at every level, of every type, whatever role it plays in connecting our world. This'll be a wide-ranging and open-ended initiative, and they're going to need some good thinkers to help them figure it out.
To that end, we're looking for you to share creative, episodic YouTube-specific concepts that provide viewers a reason to visit the T-Mobile YouTube channel for telecommunication questions, and that can also function as a real series or recurring program to keep audiences coming back for more. These videos do not necessarily need to be T-Mobile or product-specific, and we would actually like to lean away from brand-heavy videos, or videos that are entirely about T-Mobile. If we just hit people over the head with T-Mobile, that's not going to really keep them coming back. This'll be about things that are important to people, or that they might be interested in, that just happen to be connected to T-Mobile in some way. The underlying theme would be that T-Mobile is the best in the world at keeping you connected to your world, and in some cases, the connection to T-Mobile could be pretty loose. When we talk about "technology" and "connection," that can be interpreted with a very broad brush, so you can interpret it literally, but you don't have to.
When we say series, you can interpret that literally, and propose something with a host, topics, and a clear format, or you could propose something that might be more loosely connected, like a bunch of ASMR videos that feature different network data centers being rewired, with the soft click of cable connections and the recurrent swish of gloves on wire spools. Live action, animation, motion graphics - they're all on the table, with or without talent.
In terms of subject matter, your concepts can touch on T-Mobile technology, perks, and benefits in creative ways beyond simply rattling off a list of what T-Mobile can provide. For example, consider their current Travel playlist, which uses vlogs to show how T-Mobile helps you travel and stay connected. Another example is their recent 5G explainer series, which covers common questions about 5G Technology in a digestible, serialized motion graphic format, and aims to answer a question by doing a deep dive in small digestible ways, while lightly touching on T-Mobile's 5G network capabilities. Beyond those examples though, you might lean into nostalgia and create a docu-series that discusses the history of the Sidekick, or that reviews previous T-Mobile Ads from the early 2000s, or that even covers the evolution of an emoji and how texting came to be. You could even share concepts that cover home decor or propose a feng-shui video that displays how you can decorate with the T-Mobile Home Internet Router in mind. Don't be afraid to go bold with your ideas and look to brands like Liquid Death for the odd and surprising ways they push products while being entertaining. Whatever your concept may be, make sure to think about ways to drive people to the T-Mobile YouTube Channel without creating content that feels like an ad.
For any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
EXPOSURE: T-Mobile's YouTube
TARGET AUDIENCE:
TONE/FEEL: Serialized, innovative, creative, thinking outside the box
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES: Stay away from concepts that focus on or mention specific phone brands, like Apple or Samsung.
In order to be considered for this project, you must include the below materials in your submission.