Stephen Fry and Rachel Riley join Kevin Bacon for EE’s new multi-channel brand campaign: It’s a No Brainer

Kevin Bacon and Rachel Riley

Kevin Bacon is back to host spoof show ‘It’s a No Brainer’ for EE’s new TV ad campaign
Multi-channel campaign focuses on EE’s ‘fastest network’ messaging as independent testing from SPEEDTEST by Ookla reveals EE’s network is 50% faster than the competitors
TV ad series features super-smart guest stars Stephen Fry and Rachel Riley
The ad series kicks off on Friday 18^th March – view, share and embed via EE’s YouTube channel

EE, the UK’s largest mobile network operator, has launched a multi-channel brand campaign to highlight that its 4G network has been independently verified* as 50% faster than O2, Vodafone and Three. The ad sees Hollywood A-lister and face of EE, Kevin Bacon back to host a spoof TV show entitled ‘It’s a No Brainer’. Kevin is joined by special guests Stephen Fry and Rachel Riley who will each, in turn, try to unravel the mystery of why consumers would choose to be on any other network given this fact.

The first in the two-part series of ads opens on serious TV-show host Kevin Bacon grilling perplexed guest Rachel Riley. Math genius Rachel is struggling to answer the seemingly unanswerable question of why anyone would choose to be on a slower network. Rachel is seen scribbling down various complex-looking formulas as Kevin puts the pressure on but she comes up with “exactly nothing”. To which Kevin replies: “Exactly Rach! Choose the network that’s 50% faster, it’s a no brainer Britain.”

The second ad in the series will launch shortly after and features TV’s most famous intellectual Stephen Fry. Known for his extensive vocabulary and love of literature, this episode of Kevin’s show asks Stephen to find a word to sum up why anyone would choose a slower network. After much pondering Stephen is forced to confess “there are no words” with Kevin commenting: “I thought so. Choose the network that’s 50% faster, it’s a no brainer Britain.”

In-keeping with the light-hearted tone of the campaign, Kevin can also be seen playing a cameo role in both ads. Donning comedy wigs and glasses, he transforms into a different audience member for each episode.

The series of 30 second ads will kick off from today – Friday 18^th March – and will premier during primetime TV show Gogglebox on Channel 4. The campaign will also run across print, social and OOH alongside a unique execution of the TV ad for digital.

Spencer McHugh, Director of Brand at EE, said: “We know consumers are using more data than ever and relying on superfast network speeds to download more quickly and stream with better reliability and quality. Given recent tests have proven our network to be 50 per cent faster than our competitors, we can’t understand why anyone would choose to be on a slower network. We wanted to illustrate this using some well-known TV geniuses and we’re delighted that Rachel and Stephen are on board to help us get that message across.”

The TV ad was developed by EE’s advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi London. EE’s media buying agency, MEC, has led the multi-million pound investment in placement.

View, share and embed the ad via EE’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/P1SxR7727kY

For more information about EE, please visit ee.co.uk

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For more information, please contact M&C Saatchi PR:

Lucy Keogh / lucy.keogh@mcsaatchi.com / 0207 544 3821

Campaign Credits

TITLE: IT’S A NO BRAINER WITH KEVIN BACON

CLIENT: EE

ADVERTISING AGENCY: SAATCHI & SAATCHI LONDON

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: ROB POTTS, ANDY JEX

COPYWRITER / ART DIRECTOR: ROB POTTS, ANDY JEX, ADAM CHIAPPE

PLANNER: SAM WISE

ACCOUNT HANDLER: JAMES MCCULLAGH, SAM HAWKEY, TOM MCMULLEN

PRODUCER: RICHARD FIRMINGER

ASSISTANT PRODUCER: GEORGIE FORD

MEDIA BUYING AGENCY: MEC

MEDIA PLANNER: RICHARD BARTLETT

PRODUCTION COMPANY: HUNGRY MAN

DIRECTOR: HANK PERLMAN

EDITOR: JOHN SMITH

PRODUCER: JOSH GOLDSTEIN, MATT BUELS

POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: MPC

AUDIO POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY: FACTORY

DATE RELEASED: 18th March

CITY / COUNTRY: UK

Notes to editors –

*EE’s network has been confirmed as 50 per cent faster by SPEEDTEST by Ookla – the global leader in testing how fast consumers’ mobile and broadband networks really are, based on millions of tests done by real people across the UK

About EE

EE, part of the BT Group, is the largest and most advanced mobile communications company in Britain, delivering mobile and fixed communications services to consumers and businesses. EE has approximately 14,000 employees and 550 retail stores, and serves more than 31 million connections across its mobile, fixed and wholesale networks.

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, it pioneered the UK's first superfast 4G mobile service in October 2012 and is the first European operator to surpass 14million 4G customers. EE's 4G coverage today reaches more than 95% of the UK population, with double speed 4G reaching 80%. EE’s 2G coverage reaches 99% of the population while 3G reaches 98%.

In the last few years, EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being ranked the UK's best overall network by RootMetrics®; Best Network at the 2014 and 2015 Mobile News Awards; Best Network for Business and Best Consumer Network at the 2014 & 2015 Mobile Industry Awards; Best Network at the 2014 & 2015 Mobile Choice Consumer Awards, and Best Network at the What Mobile Awards 2014; Fastest Network at the 2014 and 2016 uSwitch Mobile Awards; Best Mobile Network at the 2014 Recombu Awards, and Winners of Best Connected Gadget at the Mobile Choice Consumer Awards 2015.