• by Aaron Baar , August 6, 2016

T-Mobile is taking a bit of a break from its “Uncarrier” antics to celebrate the advances its made in its network and customers, at a time when people are feeling pride for their country. 

Using the Olympics opening ceremony as its platform, the telecom introduced a new spot that highlights black-and-white action footage with magenta-hued action accents. The spot, directed by Marc Forster and Dan Bradley (known for work on “Quantum of Solace” and “The Bourne Legacy,” respectively) is intended to show off the company’s increased coverage, says James McKenna, creative director at T-Mobile agency Publicis Seattle.

“The growing momentum of T-Mobile's coverage is something the brand is very proud of,” McKenna tells Marketing Daily. “And we wanted that momentum to be felt in the fabric of the spot; from picture, to edit, to visual effects.”

Using the high-profile Olympics opening ceremony broadcast, is a way of the company to get some attention during the third-quarter sales period, McKenna says. “The summer Olympics is an infrequent event, appearing only every four years, and it happens to be occurring right in the middle of T-Mobile’s busiest quarter. It’s bound to bolster results,” McKenna says. “Beyond that, we’ve aligned with the Olympics simply because it’s where our audience is… in a very high concentration.”

T-Mobile has gained attention of late by creating what it calls “Uncarrier” moves like offering unlimited streaming, data rollover, and even shares in the company. While the new spot (embedded below) doesn’t announce any new initiatives, it offers a chance for the company to pause and celebrate where it has come, McKenna says.  

“While this spot isn’t announcing another major shift in how wireless is done, it reinforces the pride people have for the brand and what we’ve been able to accomplish with the help of those loyal supporters,” he says.