REFERENCE VIDEOS & STILLS: Please note that the team particularly likes the behind-the-scenes feel and textures/effects seen within the video samples shared.
T-MOBILE BRAND PILLARS:
Connection: T-Mobile connects you to the things you love.
Experience: T-Mobile elevate your life, just for being a customer.
Value: T-Mobile gives you more than just wireless.
Vibe: T-Mobile brings the brand to life for Gen Z.
As America's largest and fastest 5G network, T-Mobile prides itself in its ability to enhance connection. In fact, human connection is what's at the heart of everything T-Mobile does, and they're constantly working to bring people together and help them to enjoy life's special moments - whether they're at home, or moving about the world. Now, most of the time when you hear "human connection" in the context of advertising, you think about birthdays, first dates, new babies, acts of kindness, etc. - and that stuff is pretty powerful - but our lives are a lot more diverse than that, and there are countless out-of-the-ordinary - and out-of-the-box - ways that people connect with each other. That's what this is about - T-Mobile wants to create some live action social content that showcases a few of the more creative and unusual ways that people connect, with loose narratives and a vibe that feels authentic and relatable to a Gen-Z audience.
The goal of this project is to create a single suite of stylized live action social content, with both video and photography that feels immersive and in-the-moment. The suite will include one short :25 vertical video, and 5 accompanying photo stills. Your content should be inspired by one of T-Mobile's four brand pillars (Connection, Experience, Value, and Vibe), which we've described in more detail in the Background below.
This is not really about selling a particular phone or individual product, so the messaging should be pretty light, and you have a lot of freedom when coming up with Gen-Z-centric creative concepts, as long as they're in the same vein as the references, mood board and style guide below. You should also know that T-Mobile expects to greenlight multiple teams for this, with each team running with different concepts. We're open to exploring some St. Patrick's Day-centered content for the month of March, but also are excited to see other ideas! Most likely, only one St. Patrick's Day idea will be greenlit.
Creatively, there is a specific vibe we're going for here. We're looking for content that feels relatable, organic, and authentically social, and that truly connects with the Gen-Z audience. Although it's not meant to be prescriptive, T-Mobile's shared a stills mood board and a more general photography style guide, and these should give you a sense of the vibe. We're looking for shots that make the viewer feel right in the action, with a vibrant energy, a dynamic feel, and a very particular kind of modern playful vibe. This is probably where you bust out the wide angle / 0.5 lens and have some fun. We're staying away from voiceovers and overly focusing on faces. Instead, let the visuals lead the stories, and capture something that can show how everyday life and experiences are enabled by T-Mobile.
In terms of casting, there should be diverse Gen-Z talent within each suite. You can also get creative in how you shoot talent; You can also check out the Background for some video references of some recent content we've created fitting within the target motion approach.
You should also incorporate hints of Magenta in your content, but make sure the visuals do not lean too branded or have Magenta be the focus of every shot. We are not looking for corporate stock images here. Instead, we want photos that are bold, creative, relatable, and authentically social. Your videos and stills should not look like a planned, posed, professional photoshoot, and instead should look like an attainable scene that anyone could be a part of with their friends.
As this project is currently structured, you'll see that there are 4 winning slots. We are anticipating at least 4 greenlights, however T-Mobile is open to more, and they may greenlight up to 8 submissions. They're happy to consider multiple suites from each team. Just know that if you're greenlit for more than one suite, you'll need to have separate cast and locations for each suite.
Check out more information in the Background, and for any questions or other project updates, check out the Project Forum.
DELIVERABLES: There are 6 total assets per suite:
EXPECTED TIMELINE: HERE
EXPOSURE: This project requires a full rights buyout from photographers and talent. That means all rights, globally, in perpetuity, and in all media. This is not negotiable. In terms of usage, we expect content will be used on the platforms below., Be sure talent reviews our required Talent Release before they're cast. You should also review our Music providers in the Project Requirements, as well as the platform best practices.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Gen Z and Millennial active social users in the US, with a focus on those ages 18-34
TONE/FEEL:
EXECUTIONAL MANDATORIES:
By participating in this project, creators acknowledge that the Sponsor is under no obligation to greenlight a submission. Though most projects do move forward, we'll notify you in the event the Sponsor decides not to fund any submissions via the Project Forum. Regardless of the result, all submissions will be reviewed and evaluated by the Sponsor and project team.
In order to be considered, include the below materials in your submission. For examples of effective pitches, check out this gallery. All Pitches remain private, even after a Pitch is selected, and Tongal strives to have Pitch selections made by the end of the Evaluation period, but additional time may be required by the Sponsor, depending on any number of factors.