Three Connects Families in Dublin and Ireland Together for Christmas Dinner

Creative agency Boys+Girls has today released a short brand film based on its collaboration with Three and Samsung Ireland, which saw the launch of the world’s first ‘Connected Restaurant’ - the first ever restaurant split between two cities, with one half in Dublin and the other in Sydney.

This unique pop up brought families split between Ireland and Australia together for Christmas despite the distance and time difference between them, and ran over four days from 29th November to the 2nd December. Combining the latest Samsung technology with Three’s high-speed network, the two halves of the table seamlessly connected across time zones, even enjoying a bespoke photo booth that enabled loved ones in Sydney and Dublin to have their picture taken together in real time.

Boys+Girls collaborated with innovation production studio, UNIT9, to create a high-tech experience where the technology effectively disappears for the guests to make a human connection, as though they were seated at the same table.

The film tells the stories of real families involved, starting in the run up to the event with people talking about how missed their loved ones are at this time of year. We see the table being set as they sit down and anticipate being able to share a Christmas dinner with a sister or a daughter on the other side of the world - as well as seeing new additions to the family for the first time. As the experience starts we see them overwhelmed with emotion, from excitement to tears of joy, leading to all the fun and festivities of any family Christmas. 

This specially designed restaurant was be located on Clarendon Street in Dublin city centre with the other half on Holt St, Surry Hills in Sydney Australia.

Rory Hamilton, Boys+Girls executive creative director, commented: “All over the world, family tables will be missing someone this Christmas. Someone who has to work, someone who can't travel, someone who just can't make it home. We worked with Three Mobile and Samsung to make sure that families stuck on different sides of the world could share a Christmas dinner around the same table. As with any first, the campaign was not without its challenges. Opening any restaurant is a difficult, synchronising two restaurants that are 17,000km and 11hr time difference apart, took the collective efforts of an amazing team. In spite of the challenges, seeing the reaction of the families as they were re-united and watching the technology that made it possible melt away made the whole project worthwhile.” 

Aislinn O’Connor, Three head of brand and marketing communications, commented: "Customers use our technology to connect with each other all year round, but this takes on a special meaning at Christmas. Seeing the families enjoy this experience as if they were actually together really brought that home. We hope those who visited the Connected Restaurant over the four days enjoyed the experience as much as we enjoyed creating it - and we hope our customers with relatives abroad can share a special Christmas together, using our technology to make new memories - wherever they are."