MTS targets ‘net gen’ again, with an ‘internet baby’

MTS has launched an ad film to underline the superiority of its 3G Plus data network, keeping with its focus on the ‘net gen’. The film was premiered as a bit-torrent for online audiences to download before digital and social legs kicked in. It will be on air from 27 February. Creativeland Asia is the creative agency behind the campaign.

The film stars a ‘Born for the internet’ baby exploiting the net straight from birth. In a labour room, a woman is being coaxed by the doctor to ‘push’, while the father and nurses watch anxiously. The baby arrives all of a sudden, with a sound and a jab with its index finger to the doctor’s nose. The animated baby rises from under the sheet shocking some of the staff. Grabbing the father’s tablet (branded MTS), it searches for ‘how to cut the umbilical cord’, and then cuts it -- clicking its fingers confidently to get a pair of scissors from the nurse. The baby goes on to take a ‘selfie’ with the nurse and posts it online. Falling off the bed much to the worry everyone else, the baby crawls to a laptop on the floor and logs into an MTS account. After creating accounts on multiple social networking sites, it even goes on to broadcast a video before using the GPS system to navigate out of the hospital ward. The shocked receptionist is viewing a video of the baby on Youtube as the protagonist makes his exit. The film signs off with the super: ‘Born for the internet. MTS 3GPlus Network.’

Amitesh Rao, director - brand and media, MTS India, said, “We needed a campaign to reinforce our strongest differentiator - the fact that we have designed and optimized the MTS 3GPlus network specifically for data. At the same time we needed to be true to the MTS brand that talks to today's 24x7, always-on, data hungry consumer for whom the internet is the biggest opportunity platform there is. The challenge of course was to do all of this in an engaging and entertaining manner, which is what the story of a new-born baby going online to announce himself to the world does perfectly.”

Sajan RaJ Kurup, founder and creative chairman, Creativeland Asia, added, “The script for the film began with the simple insight that today’s kids seem so comfortable with technology, devices and the internet even as babies. When I see them (including my own daughter) handle tablets, mobiles and laptops, I have always joked that they look like they were born with it. We just pushed that thought a little further. It took six months of painful labour. And the baby is finally out there.”

The ad film has relied on heavy use of computer graphics to bring the baby ‘to life’. It was shot on location in Prague, involving four real babies, the agency note said.

Credits

Client: MTS
Creative agency: Creativeland Asia
Production house: Smuggler Films, London
Co-MD (Smuggler Films): Chris Barrett
Director (film): Guy Shelmerdine
CGI: Glassworks, London