AT&T Will Help You Save the World, Ward Off Kiefer Sutherland

By Bob Marshall 

As part of a new digitally integrated marketing campaign, AT&T and agency BBDO are launching an original action/drama show, Daybreak, through online video, print, TV, a mobile app and more.

Helmed by Tim Kring, the creator of Fox’s new Kiefer Sutherland thriller Touch, Daybreak’s protagonist uses a bevy of AT&T products save the world. Sound AWFULLY FAMILIAR? Yeah, it’s basically the plot of Sutherland’s last Fox show, 24. In fact, the director of the first couple of episodes is John Cassar, the producer of seasons 1-7 of 24. Confused? Well, to add to the incestuousness, Daybreak and Touch have plots that actually crossover a bit, as seen in the above video that features a creepy child staring, a guy getting shot, and Kiefer Sutherland looking haggard.

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Episode three of Daybreak was released to YouTube yesterday, and you can watch it in its entirety above. In short, we have a campaign that lives on multiple different kinds of media that promotes AT&T, Touch, and (probably) the entire 24 box-set on Blu Ray simultaneously. But, won’t this be incredibly difficult for consumers to absorb? According to BBDO North American chairman and CCO David Lubars, “You don’t have to see both series to get value out of Daybreak. It’s a standalone piece of entertainment. But if you do see both [Touch and Daybreak], there’s an extra dimension of connections you can make.”

In conclusion, a cross-promotional cross-media fully integrated campaign is exactly as exhausting as it sounds. Visit Daybreak’s website here, view some traditional media components of the campaign here, and proceed with caution. Remember, Tim Kring is also responsible for NBC series Heroes, so along with 24, the guy has a track record of starting out strong and then basically phoning it in by season 2.

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