NEW EE CAMPAIGN FEATURES LIVE MUSIC, AUGMENTED REALITY AND KEVIN BACON TO SHOW WHAT 5G CAN DO, EVEN IN THE BUSIEST PLACES

Monday 13^th January 2020: EE, the UK’s number one network, today reveals its latest campaign, featuring the world’s first augmented reality (AR), multi-location gig over 5G. The campaign stars multi-platinum selling British band, Bastille with a remixed version of their iconic hit “Pompeii” and Kevin Bacon, in a spectacular showcase of the power of its 5G network.

Hitting screens on Monday 13^th January during Love Island on ITV2, the campaign aims to inspire customers with the exciting new ways in which EE’s pioneering 5G network can elevate everyday experiences, even in the busiest places; in this instance, enabling commuters across the UK to immerse themselves in a 360-degree augmented performance by Bastille. Commuters could watch the mixed-reality action unfold in real time despite being hundreds of miles away from the performance taking place in Birmingham New Street station.

The ad opens on the Birmingham skyline at dusk ahead of ‘a live AR performance’, before zooming in on Kevin Bacon seemingly left to his own devices, roaming through London’s busy King’s Cross, destined to create an unforgettable commute using EE’s 5G network.

Meanwhile, the stage is being set for the 5G magic to play out at some of the UK’s most bustling city centre locations including Liverpool and Edinburgh.

Unsuspecting commuters in these three cities are shown tuning into the AR performance using cutting edge technology from Samsung and Nreal, jaws drop as the four-piece group, led by frontman Dan Smith, perform their iconic track, Pompeii, during a busy rush hour in Birmingham.

The spectacular audio-visual performance was presented as a 360-degree experience, giving fans a front row seat at Bastille’s unique performance, complete with stunning augmented reality graphics, which featured giant yetis, city walls tumbling down and digital trains.

Nreal’s glasses allowed fans to watch the one-of-a-kind show on a huge digital screen, combining the physical and digital worlds in a previously unseen way, creating a refreshing departure from the typical daily commute.

Dan Smith, singer songwriter from Multi-platinum selling British band, Bastille, said: “Knowing our performance in Birmingham was being enhanced by augmented reality and streamed over EE’s 5G network to fans all over the U.K. made for a really fun and unique experience. It’s exciting, as a band, to try and push the boundaries of live performance and to experiment with interesting new technologies to create something different”.

Pete Jeavons, Marketing Communications Director at BT and EE commented: “Since we launched the UK’s first 5G network last year, we’ve rolled it out to 50 cities and large towns across the UK, more places than any other network. This amazing activation with Bastille showcases some of the extraordinary possibilities of 5G with augmented reality rendered in real time and streamed to multiple cities simultaneously; and highlights the benefits that 5G brings to customers by providing fantastic connections even in the busiest places like train stations.”

This campaign will run across TV, out of home (OOH), cinema and video on demand (VOD).

EE switched on the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019, launching with 5G coverage in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham and Manchester, and has expanded 5G on a daily basis. At the end of last year, EE added 5G to Castlereagh, Guildford, Hamilton, Harlow, Hoddesdon, Kimberley, Lisburn, Maidstone, Sydenham, Watford and Wolverhampton, and has switched on its first 5G sites in Liverpool, Glasgow and Huddersfield to bring the best mobile experience to a total of 50 cities and large towns in 2019.

The campaign was developed by EE’s advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi London.