W+K London & Three's Furry Friend Rocks an Anthem Against Suckishness

This summer, Three is set to shake up the mobile industry by unleashing a revolution to make things right. 

The network is rallying the British public to take a stand and unite against network gripes – from high roaming costs to charging a premium for 4G. When stuff sucks, Three is pledging to #makeitright.

A new brand platform and multi-channel campaign, created with Wieden+Kennedy London and media partner Mindshare, is helping Three declare its intent and shout the ‘make it right’ message from the rooftops.  

In late May, Three customers spotted a first glimpse of activity, with teaser posters hinting at an imminent ‘fluffy revolution’. 

On 5th June, the new campaign will burst into British homes with a powerful 90 second TV spot. The film will introduce audiences to Jackson, a new hero and the face of the #makeitright campaign. Jackson is a furry purple puppet designed and created by the world famous Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, renowned for inventing The Muppets. 

Directed by Daniel Wolfe through Somesuch, the film is set to East 17’s rousing 1993 dance-pop anthem ‘It’s Alright.’ Dejected, beaten down and damp, Jackson cuts a sorry figure in the big dark city as the story unfolds. But as he reaches his lowest ebb, Jackson remembers an old family mantra, and is suddenly transformed. Galvanised into action, he then spreads the song’s reassuring message to characters in all sorts of sticky situations.

Tom Malleschitz, CMO at Three, said: “We always strive to entertain people with our adverts, but with this campaign we had an ambition to connect on a deeper emotional level with our audience by communicating our WHY and brand purpose.  At Three we have all signed up to our purpose, it’s what gets us up in the morning. Jackson is a lovable puppet, who was once down trodden and treated unfairly, just like many mobile customers. He perfectly tells the story of how Three is taking a stand by making it right for customers by tackling roaming fees and offering 4G at no extra cost for example.“ 

Supporting the main TV film are three 20 second TV spots, featuring Jackson informing people what Three is doing to make the mobile industry better, including allowing customers to use their phone abroad at no extra cost in even more destinations, offering 4G at no extra cost and being rated by consumers as having the most reliable network (YouGov). 

Alongside the TV spots, a dedicated hub on Three’s website will feature a manifesto film where Jackson outlines the network’s intent in a political press conference.

Broader activity, across various touchpoints, will further cement the network’s commitment to #makeitright, by outlining solutions to common, industry-wide customer problems. From outdoor sites around the country to print executions in national media, Three’s powerful statements are accompanied by the universal symbol of resistance: a fist held high in the air, only this time, it’s furry. 

Starting 12th June, Three will start solving other mobile problems out and about across the UK. For example, not having a decent Wi-Fi connection sucks, so Three is putting up large Jackson statues that provide free-of-charge fast Wifi connectivity. And because running out of phone battery sucks, Three is putting up special interactive bus shelters that dispense free phone charging units.