Life is for sharing...

 

T-Mobiles new advertising asks 'ordinary youngsters' what they’d do with ‘Unlimited Free Texts” for the rest of their lives, under the inspirational theme of ‘life is for sharing’.

The ‘real life’ not-that-glossy’ look, those ‘everyday young people’ and the crop that only just captures the camera lense and boom mic proves that, hey man, it’s just happening out there, like, totally, on the streets.

I’d like to thank T-Mobile for treating us like intelligent human beings with this honest approach, this genuine opportunity for young people to express themselves and recognise one of the UK’s most significant mobile operators for lending themselves to communicating young peoples dreams, ambitions and aspirations so vividly through the benevolence of their own multi million pound ad spend.

Sadly, for me, I have only seen the outdoor and print executions of this ‘creative’, but I’ll begin with my favourite one”

“I’d text all the musicians I know and we’d start a superband"

Would you now?

Gosh, really, is that what you’d do? Is that really all that’s been stopping you realise your lifelong dreams. Wow, you’ve had Lady Ga Ga, Damon Albarn and Kanye West’s number in your phone all this time, waiting for you to send them a smiley face and a Looooooooll!!!!

Then there is the timeless:

“I’d text everyone I know and have a party”

I might cry. It’s OK, don’t worry, you don’t have to wait for ‘Unlimited Free Texts” (terms and conditions apply) you can do that anyway. I mean, how many friends have you got in that phone of yours, unless it’s the little black doomsday book, why don’t you just text them anyway? Music, atmosphere, friends, some refreshments and a little personality is all you need? Perhaps T-Mobile will give you a free lifetimes supply of charisma, depth or likeability instead… depending which tariff you’re on.

And who could overlook the laydeez favourite;

“I’d text everyone I know to get them to come to my DJ night”

Because that’s what’s stopping them from coming to hear you play MGMT Electro Fidget Remixes on your iphone ! They might have deleted the email, politely pressed ‘maybe’ on the facebook invite, ignored their Myspace account for the last 8 months… But this text, this time, this SMS is the one. It’s going to send them over the edge and have them kneeling at your decks.

Thank you T-Mobile, thank you for the unlimited credit, for our intelligence.

As we stand on the precipice of digital technology osmosing completely into the fabric of our society, from a political level, a communications level, a societal level and even on a biological level…

As we take a deep breath whilst digital revolution becomes evolution…

At a point where tiny robots could be released into our bloodstream to release insulin when our body requires it, effectively rendering Diabetes A, a previously incurable disease, harmless… I salute your use of digital technology.

As we refer to our own children as “digital natives”, and accept the need throughout the globe to educate, empower and equalify access for young people around the world to digital communications with initiatives like the One Laptop Per Child project changing lives and the future of millions of youngsters… I bow to your use of communications technology to improve the planet for the next generation and aplaude your efforts to give young people a voice.

Life (really) is for sharing.

Is the very best suggestion that we can come up with, when presented with the opportunity for infinite immediate connectivity with our social and professional networks to inspire a generation to come to our ‘DJ night’.

Is this the best our best copy writers and creatives can muster, these three scenarios, do our children look up to these three characters, these pillars of opportunity, these thought leaders of information sharing and digital inclusion and think “one day… with these free texts I intend to ask questions, seek information, create ideas, share thoughts and provide solutions…” ?

Is there a ‘planner’ out there who thought, “With this million pound budget and network of millions of teenagers I shall encourage them to behave like witless nonces, shallowly pursuing social acceptance and unachievable materialistic ambition at the greatest time of shift our race has ever known”

I’d like to recognise O2, Marks and Spencer, Ctrl.Alt.Shift. Benetton, SonyMusic, Penguin, Adidas, Red Bull, PlayStation, Nike, Orange and a multitude of other brands, agencies and forward thinking intelligent media and marketing professionals for using their money, power and influence over young audiences to inspire, educate and empower their audiences.

I’d like to challenge T-Mobile, we know you’ve done some truly great ads (which only make these ones more… questionable?) and suggest your power, position and influence, as a leader in digital communications not only could, but should be used more creatively and constructively.

In the words of another brand with a massive and loyal teenage following, it was Spiderman who said “With great power, comes great responsibility”.

image taken from www.gapingvoidgallery.com/

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Sam Conniff

UK Social Enterprise Ambassador
Livity / LIVE / Dubplate Drama / The Livity Trust / Music4Good