New Ad To Separate The Trademark BT Couple

BT launch new Home Hub with multi-layered media campaign

BT’s new ad campaign has a twist in store for viewers, with Adam, the character played by Kris Marshall, moving out of the home he shares with his on-screen partner Jane, for his dream job – putting the relationship under pressure and implying the couple’s separation.

BT pokes fun at a fictional rival broadband provider – Adam curses his new (non-BT) router, whilst he and Jane discuss their long distance relationship over IM, when he loses his wireless signal with Jane left wondering what their future holds. The advert leaves audiences wondering what will happen next – will they/won’t they stay together?

The ad takes the BT family in a new direction with the focus on communication in a long distance relationship; will love (and broadband) prevail?

BT is implementing a heavyweight media campaign to launch BT Total Broadband’s stylish new Home Hub. The sleek new design houses the latest ‘N’ standard wireless technology which gives up to twice the range of a router offered by any other UK broadband providers. As well as going further, customers get a stronger more reliable connection. A host of other new features have been incorporated into the distinctively curved new design – including a simpler set-up process, improved security and power-saving functionality.

The campaign rolls out from July 19, including TV, press, PR, outdoor, DM and online and is worth ten million pounds.

Key media launch activity encompasses:
TV - Continuing the hugely successful ‘trademark’ BT adverts, the new Home Hub advert will air on 19th July. The adverts are the creation of AMV who devised the initial ‘Adam and Jane’ advert storyline.

Press - Colour adverts produced by AMV highlighting the fact that the BT Home Hub now offers up to twice the range of all UK broadband providers, will be placed in all core titles to encourage national awareness of the new product and its benefits.

PR – Kazoo Communications will lead the PR activity announcing the new Home Hub launch to the media with an exclusive ‘House Party’ event on 14th July hosted by several well-known celebrity faces. Product placement, news and review activity will follow.

Outdoor – An outdoor campaign produced by AMV during August will sustain awareness of the new BT Home Hub, key roadside and rail side locations will feature the posters.

DM – Ogilvy One has created a major DM campaign highlighting the new hub’s superior range that gives a better wireless connection.

Online – BT’s online agency, Agency.com will implement an online campaign featuring a rotating BT Home Hub.

Matthew Dearden, marketing director, BT Retail Consumer says: “The new BT Home Hub is the most exciting development to BT Total Broadband so far this year; couple this with the most dramatic and powerful broadband advert we have made to date and you have all the components of a great and memorable campaign. The ad highlights the importance of a reliable wireless connection and leaves you at a crucial point in the Adam and Jane story wondering what will happen next…”

The new BT Home Hub will be available from the 18th July

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Dabitch's picture

Are they really trademarked? ;)

purplesimon's picture

Yawn on people, this is exactly the same style of ad we saw for Nescafe back in the 1980s. Let's set up a scenario and have a cliffhanger at the end. Find more here.

I always thought that the man (Adam, what a brilliant name - how did they think of that for a man?) was more like the woman's son in terms of behaviour, but maybe that's the choice of actor. At least she wasn't called Eve, though, a small mercy.

If only the red button on my remote was actually set up to allow me to vote on ads, this would voted down.

And, the router is a slight misnomer, surely? I've had 8.011n technology for some time. Okay, the router isn't provided by my ISP, but even so, BT make it sound like they invented it.

Dabitch's picture

Speaking of the stereotypical Nescafe 'cliffhanger' love-story ads, there's currently a campaign (again, for coffee!) running in Sweden doing a love story interrupted and the "choose the ending at blabla.com". Those two tricks must be the most used ever for coffee/hot drinks by now. Seeing both apply to one ad (for coffee!) made my jaw drop.

purplesimon's picture

I hope and pray (let me tell you, I don't do that often) that you're telling us this for a laugh and it's not true. Please...

Why can't Adam have a problem with premature ejaculation and looks on the Net for advice or uses his account to find an Adult Friend. That would make the ad much more interesting, let's face it.

Dabitch's picture

OOh, it's true - I found it on the web in this article here at Dagensmedia. Go straight to the film via this link (it's flash). See? Romantic couple+coffee+choose ending. Gaah!

purplesimon's picture

OMG, it's the same! Except I have to say, the man looks more effeminate than the woman! Anthony Head (of Buffy fame) never looked like that in the UK versions of the Gold Blend ads.

RLDavies's picture

I have very serious problems with facial recognition, and I have to admit that the Nescafe love-story series went straight over my head. I saw all the ads, but never realised it was the same two people in each one. Just assumed it was several separate vignettes about people finding true love through their choice of coffee (bleah -- bleah on the idea, that is, not on coffee). About a year later someone on TV mentioned the series and I realised what the point of it all was supposed to be.

The only reason I managed to get a grasp of this series is that all the ads are shot in that light-infused, overexposed style. Somehow helped to imply that it's the same setting every time, and therefore it must be the same people.

Allan1's picture

I remember those Nescafe ads. One of the ones I liked the best, is when the boyfriend stops by in the morning to find his lady drinking Nescafe with a young hunk (or at least that's what he was supposed to be), and he's all upset, until she says, "And this is my son"...