Billie Eilish presents an upbeat new marketing campaign on Gen Z and know-how
Saatchi & Saatchi London's new film for Deutsche Telekom plays the 18-year-old music sensation, who explores prejudices about the use of technology by young people
A new campaign from Saatchi & Saatchi is committed to helping the young people who get flak because they're stuck on their screens. Directed by Vincent Haycock, the film at the heart of the #WhatWeDoNext campaign offers an uplifting and compelling counter-argument to the theory that young people are out of touch because of social media and other technologies. Instead, it shows the many ways young people are driving positive change and often using technology to get the word out.
The film is narrated and set to music by the multi-award-winning teen music sensation Billie Eilish – the artist behind the title track for the upcoming Bond movie due later this year – whose sultry voice goes well with the jaded but defiant tone of the spot harmonizes. The commercial draws on Eilish's title, "The Voice of Gen Z," which was earned through her impressive music and sincere revelations on mental health.
Other Gen Z stars can be seen in the film, including climate activist Eirini Vougiouka; Jahkini Bisselink, who was elected Dutch youth representative to the United Nations at the age of 18; and hacker and cyber security expert Philipp Kalweit. In addition to the film, the campaign will be published on social media and in a content series on the brand's music marketing channel Electronic Beats.
“We wanted to capture the spirit of this generation and show their collective voice, which is harnessed through the use of social media. They are a generation that uses technology and social media to raise awareness and create communities, ”said Haycock of the film. “We wanted to make a film that would feel honest about each of the characters' worlds. Most of what you see is either their actual world or very much inspired by who they are or what they represent. Billies is the voice of this generation, their music and their words are very important to Gen Z. If she was telling the film, it couldn't have been a better choice. "
Credits:
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Global CCO: Kate Stanners
CCO: Guillermo Vega
ECDS: Franki Goodwin, William John
Creative: Mia Silverman, Francesco Grandi
Production company: Something like that
Directed by Vincent Haycock