Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett Share Their Unfiltered Selves for SmartLess Mobile Launch
Independent creative agency Rethink New York has partnered with SmartLess Mobile to launch a new mobile brand in the US. Backed by the creators of the wildly popular SmartLess podcast – Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett – SmartLess Mobile is a direct-to-consumer subscription wireless service designed to make mobile service simpler, smarter, and more affordable.
Bringing their signature no-BS style, the SmartLess team is on a mission to stop people from getting outsmarted into paying for data they don’t need. The new brand is built on the knowledge that consumers substantially overpay for wireless service due to a misconception: for the vast majority of users, cellular service is primarily a backup to Wi-Fi.
The launch kicks off with a robust social campaign that includes a variety of punchy, short form videos directed by Sam Jones, who is known for directing the six-part docuseries SmartLess: On the Road in 2023. Much like Sam’s approach to SmartLess: On the Road, the launch spots are shot in black and white, offering a playful, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the group’s dynamic. We see the guys being their unfiltered selves in 'Catchphrase,' 'Corporate brainstorm,' and 'God Bless.'
“Working with Jason, Sean, and Will – alongside our creative partners at Rethink – to build the SmartLess Mobile brand was like translating their podcast magic into visual form – irreverent, honest, and refreshingly human,” said Jeni McAleese, chief brand officer for SmartLess Mobile. “The wireless industry has normalised complexity and confusion, but SmartLess Mobile disrupts that with radical transparency. When you can make people laugh about a real problem while genuinely solving it, you're not just marketing – you're providing a public service.”
The brand strategy behind SmartLess Mobile draws directly from the traits that made the SmartLess podcast a cultural hit – authenticity, vulnerability, and honesty. These values are woven into every part of the brand experience, from its no-nonsense plans and stripped-back design to its unfiltered tone of voice. SmartLess Mobile doesn’t just sound different – it feels different, because it’s built on a genuine desire to give people exactly what they need, and nothing they don’t.
“We’ve been long time fans of the podcast, so getting to build SmartLess Mobile with the SmartLess guys (Jason, Sean, and Will) and the incredible mobile team (Jeni, Paul, and Matt), was a dream,” said Tara Lawall, chief creative officer at Rethink New York. “There are plenty of phone companies out there but only SmartLess Mobile can communicate the way we can – funny, honest, and refreshingly human.”
In addition to collaborating with Jones and the SmartLess team on the video work, Rethink also led branding & identity (logo design, fonts, emails, website), brand strategy and positioning, creative ideation, and aided in post-production. Rethink has a long standing relationship with Arnett, having worked with the actor when he was the spokesperson for Canadian telco brand Freedom Mobile from 2020-2023.
“We approached the identity for SmartLess Mobile in the same way the guys approach the podcast: authentically and without pretense. The brand behaves in ways both informal and honest, parallel to their service,” said Rich Greco, executive creative director of design at Rethink New York. “This was a unique opportunity to build a brand around three voices who already have incredible chemistry and clarity. Rethink’s job was to make sure the brand’s visual and verbal expressions matched their energy.”
