'Dance', created by Saatchi & Saatchi London, was produced using hidden TV cameras within the station, which captured the spontaneous reactions of commuters as they watched the dance troupe perform.
The three-minute guerrilla-style ad, which is part of T-Mobile's 'Life's for Sharing' campaign, is to premiere during an entire ad break in 'Celebrity Big Brother' on Channel 4 tomorrow night, less than 48 hours after filming began.
Lysa Hardy, head of brand and communications at T-Mobile, said: "'Dance' brings to life the fact that there are often unexpected, wonderful, exciting things that happen that you want to be able to share with your friends and family.
"T-Mobile has a strong history of innovation when it comes to product development and customer service, but now with this campaign, we're making an even bolder statement about the power of sharing, so everyone knows what T-Mobile uniquely stands for.
"This campaign allows us to let people learn a bit more about us as a company on a more emotional level, whilst showing how our products and services are always on hand to enable sharing."
Following the premiere of the full-length ad tomorrow night, a 60-second version will run for two weeks, followed by a series of ads which start to weave in more specific product and price plan information.
Viewers watching the ad on TV will be able to view extra footage of the making of the ad by pressing the red button on their remote.
T-Mobile has also created a dedicated YouTube channel for users to upload videos and view humorous clips featuring celebrities being taught how to do the T-Mobile dance by dancer and choreographer Bryony Albert.
Watch Campaign's video coverage of the shoot
Comments
Flash mobbing isn't exactly new. I have seen this done in Liverpool street a few times now by small groups having a laugh. This doesn't feel very fresh so i hope it's done really well and the dance is at least amusing.
Mark has a point. This has been done to death. Anyone remember the global Thriller phenomenon? Or the dancing prisoners? It was even captured in a one of those tenn-angst dance movies \(the name of which escapes me now). Anyway it's all on youtube....so in my opinion that means there's a big "who cares?" hanging over this entire campaign.
I'm not sure how I feel about the campaign as a whole.. but I was there.. waiting for a train! It was absolutely hilarious!! The music started up from no where then one guy started dancing in the middle of the room..then all of sudden I was in the middle of it!
Some how I managed to start dancing with one of the pros shouting the moves to me..
I think the Ad's angle is 'Lifes for sharing' and I know it's a publicity thing... but it certainly made my day! :)
Reminds me of the lastminute.com viral, where they all dance in the airport...
Does it have to be new and anyway how much has flash mobbing really penetrated/engaged the general psyche anyway? It's a creative idea for gawd's sake - hurrah.
It's a bit like the BMB debate around the Carling iPhone app's lack of originality - yup, answer is - who cares, other than D&AD judges looking for original ideas.
Get with the open source programme. No one owns flash mobbing and no one owns the tilt mechanism in the iPhone.
A shelf wobbler with a Mars bar promotion on it has a lot in common with a shelf wobbler for a plasma TV but who cares. A shelf wobbler's a shelf wobbler and probably sells Mars bars and TV's - and isn't that part of our job in all this.
I thought it was excellent, whether it's an old idea of not it was brilliantly put together and kept you engaged. What I don't understand is why I can't now see it again on the net? Maybe I'm missing something here but surely you would have it up online so people can watch it again and pass it on... Poor search if it is up there, I've had to put in various Google search terms and to get this news item i had to put in T mobile tv advert big brother...! Perhaps there's another cunning plan behind the scenes.... Claire Horseman.
Great idea \(yes; really), well executed but think it poor that it look so long to get online on YouTube.
Tut, tut!
I've put it on my blog:
http://chelsea-sw3-girl.blogspot.com/2009/01/t-mobile-dance-video-at-liverpool-st.html
Let's hope they're tracking all the blog reactions....
ChelseaSW3Girl x
I'm not going to get into the timing, execution and crap of it... it's all dandy to have an opinion before it airs. But I was sadly watching Big Brother and yes, the ad was announced by ch4 \(something new in it's own right) as an interruption and my focus was entirely captured. It was like Blues Brothers in Liverpool St, in the few seconds it had my attention I was suddenly unable to move away from the screen & honestly I have been searching on the internet for it since.
So, I',m not going to change my network because of it, but whatever - I've already had an entire conversation about the ad with 4 people in a couple of hours since it aired and I have a feeling when I go to uni on Monday it will still be a talking point.
I hate to be cliche, but in the few hours since it aired it has had a similar effect to the Cadbury gorrila ad - even if it does very much resemble the grand central freeze video.
Here's the direct link, looked like a great laugh and has only been on youtube for a day and has already got over 60000 views and a number of awards (most seen, discussed etc)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM
This kind of thing has been going on for years, quite amusing though. Advertising typically slow on the uptake, but i guess some mobile phone company was going to do it sooner or later. Not highly original.
This is fantastic! Yes flash-mobbing has been done before and so has synchronised dancing, but hell combining the two with such a great medley of tunes works an absolute treat! I wasn't convinced by the Lastminute airport viral, I felt it a bit contrived and cringe worthy but this ad has a real energy to it and the fact they used a small army of dancers to fill the whole concourse makes it very impactful. Also, if it creates a talking point and you get a few hundred thousand people watching it on You Tube as well as all those watching it in TV, I think a lot of people will 'care' to some extent! Nice one guys!
Comments
Just My Opinion - 15/01/2009
Flash mobbing isn't exactly new. I have seen this done in Liverpool street a few times now by small groups having a laugh. This doesn't feel very fresh so i hope it's done really well and the dance is at least amusing.
Amod Munga - 16/01/2009
Mark has a point. This has been done to death. Anyone remember the global Thriller phenomenon? Or the dancing prisoners? It was even captured in a one of those tenn-angst dance movies \(the name of which escapes me now). Anyway it's all on youtube....so in my opinion that means there's a big "who cares?" hanging over this entire campaign.
Amy Filmer - 16/01/2009
I'm not sure how I feel about the campaign as a whole.. but I was there.. waiting for a train! It was absolutely hilarious!! The music started up from no where then one guy started dancing in the middle of the room..then all of sudden I was in the middle of it! Some how I managed to start dancing with one of the pros shouting the moves to me.. I think the Ad's angle is 'Lifes for sharing' and I know it's a publicity thing... but it certainly made my day! :)
Tarryn Blackwood - 16/01/2009
Reminds me of the lastminute.com viral, where they all dance in the airport...
Nick Corston - 16/01/2009
Does it have to be new and anyway how much has flash mobbing really penetrated/engaged the general psyche anyway? It's a creative idea for gawd's sake - hurrah. It's a bit like the BMB debate around the Carling iPhone app's lack of originality - yup, answer is - who cares, other than D&AD judges looking for original ideas. Get with the open source programme. No one owns flash mobbing and no one owns the tilt mechanism in the iPhone. A shelf wobbler with a Mars bar promotion on it has a lot in common with a shelf wobbler for a plasma TV but who cares. A shelf wobbler's a shelf wobbler and probably sells Mars bars and TV's - and isn't that part of our job in all this.
Claire Horseman - 16/01/2009
I thought it was excellent, whether it's an old idea of not it was brilliantly put together and kept you engaged. What I don't understand is why I can't now see it again on the net? Maybe I'm missing something here but surely you would have it up online so people can watch it again and pass it on... Poor search if it is up there, I've had to put in various Google search terms and to get this news item i had to put in T mobile tv advert big brother...! Perhaps there's another cunning plan behind the scenes.... Claire Horseman.
Chelsea SW3Girl - 16/01/2009
Great idea \(yes; really), well executed but think it poor that it look so long to get online on YouTube. Tut, tut! I've put it on my blog: http://chelsea-sw3-girl.blogspot.com/2009/01/t-mobile-dance-video-at-liverpool-st.html Let's hope they're tracking all the blog reactions.... ChelseaSW3Girl x
Emma Coles - 17/01/2009
I'm not going to get into the timing, execution and crap of it... it's all dandy to have an opinion before it airs. But I was sadly watching Big Brother and yes, the ad was announced by ch4 \(something new in it's own right) as an interruption and my focus was entirely captured. It was like Blues Brothers in Liverpool St, in the few seconds it had my attention I was suddenly unable to move away from the screen & honestly I have been searching on the internet for it since. So, I',m not going to change my network because of it, but whatever - I've already had an entire conversation about the ad with 4 people in a couple of hours since it aired and I have a feeling when I go to uni on Monday it will still be a talking point. I hate to be cliche, but in the few hours since it aired it has had a similar effect to the Cadbury gorrila ad - even if it does very much resemble the grand central freeze video.
Mal Ord - 18/01/2009
Here's the direct link, looked like a great laugh and has only been on youtube for a day and has already got over 60000 views and a number of awards (most seen, discussed etc)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM
Andrew Chapman - 19/01/2009
This kind of thing has been going on for years, quite amusing though. Advertising typically slow on the uptake, but i guess some mobile phone company was going to do it sooner or later. Not highly original.
Ashley Brown - 19/01/2009
This is fantastic! Yes flash-mobbing has been done before and so has synchronised dancing, but hell combining the two with such a great medley of tunes works an absolute treat! I wasn't convinced by the Lastminute airport viral, I felt it a bit contrived and cringe worthy but this ad has a real energy to it and the fact they used a small army of dancers to fill the whole concourse makes it very impactful. Also, if it creates a talking point and you get a few hundred thousand people watching it on You Tube as well as all those watching it in TV, I think a lot of people will 'care' to some extent! Nice one guys!