AT&T 5G HELMET
Translation and AT&T partnered with Gallaudet University’s coaches and players to create a groundbreaking football helmet powered by AT&T 5G that levels the playing field for Deaf and hard of hearing football players.
THE CHALLENGE
Millions of people rely on AT&T. But as a category, much of telecom advertising can be indistinguishable. We recognized this as an opportunity to go beyond the expected and demonstrate AT&T’s brand purpose, “Connecting Changes Everything,” by showcasing how AT&T’s technology can drive tangible impact.
“AT&T and Gallaudet University unveil a football helmet for Deaf and hard of hearing quarterbacks” - AP
THE IDEA
The AT&T 5G Football Helmet is a fully connected, 5G-powered helmet with a built-in Augmented Reality lens that enables Deaf and hard-of-hearing players to see their coach’s play calls in real time. See how it works. Equipped with a pinhole in-visor AR lens and communication through AT&T's 5G, the helmet gives players the same access to critical game data as their hearing counterparts on other teams.
“Gallaudet University revolutionizes football with first 5G connected helmet for Deaf players” - ABC News
THE WORK
The AT&T 5G Helmet wasn’t a marketing stunt. It was a real product, enabled by real tech, with real heroes. We chose to treat it as a product launch first, to be later supported by paid advertising, allowing those for whom the product was built to introduce it: the Gallaudet players and coaching staff. The helmet made its official premiere on Good Morning America and ESPN College GameDay, featuring the Gallaudet University football team. The helmet then debuted in an actual American college football game, where Gallaudet emerged victorious. A 60-second film captured the emotional story with a powerful cover of “The Sound of Silence” by UnitedMasters artist Amira Unplugged, who is a part of the hard-of-hearing community.
“Gallaudet University and AT&T’s mission to make football more accessible and inclusive to all athletes” - Forbes
THE RESULTS
In its first week, the campaign earned 1B+ impressions, and over three months, the campaign generated over 4.5B earned media impressions. Sentiment across social media was overwhelmingly positive – 93.6% – rare for this category. The true victory, however, was on the field, where Deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes were now more fully integrated into the game. AT&T proved that innovation is not just about creating something new, but about changing lives. The helmet is being put on permanent display by the College Football Hall of Fame, and several NCAA conferences have shown interest in making the helmet available to all players.