Billie Eilish rallies for Gen Z in new ad

Gen Z and screens are inseparable. "Look at us. Just a bunch of kids who are screen-obsessed," reaffirms Billie Eilish, one of the biggest idols of this generational cohorts. The Grammy-winning American pop star says this in a voice-over for Deutsche Telekom's new campaign aimed at improving positivity about the digital age.

The German telecom company's study 'Gen Z and Connected Technology' reveals a startling insight. Nearly three-fourths (69 per cent/72 per cent) youngsters (European between the ages of 16 and 26) believe that their generation is frequently misunderstood. They feel the reason for this is their openness to the digital world and their matter-of-fact use of connected technologies.

The first 20 seconds of the ad will make you believe Gen Z can't get their heads out of the screens... "Because, like, how can a generation that lives online know anything about the real world? We're just clicking and swiping our way through life. Phones in our hands, and our heads in the cloud," says Eilish's voice-over.

As the ad goes on, a series of clips illustrate how the same screen-obsessed kids are fierce and passionate about things that affect us for real, like climate change, LGBTQ rights, involvement in decision-making processes, sustainability, ethics, and digital safety... It's a generation that affects the world through the power of screens.

Released on United Nations’ ’International Youth Day’ (August 12), Wolfgang Kampbartold, vice president for international market communications at Deutsche Telekom, says: “The seismic events of 2020 will impact the younger generation for years to come; culturally, socially, economically. We wanted to provide Gen Z with a voice and a platform from which to demonstrate how they are harnessing the power of connected technology to make a real difference. In collaborating with Billie (Eilish) and our team of young people, we are shining a light on the incredible potential of this generation, as they navigate a new future.”

“We all have the potential to make a positive impact on our planet, and I’m hopeful our generation will use their platforms to collaborate and communicate, and make a difference,” added Eilish, 18.

This ad took us back to a scene from the James Bond movie 'Skyfall', released in 2012. It's a conversation between Bond and 'Q', the new young quartermaster and the head of the fictional research and development division of the British Secret Service. The scene is about the age-old debate between generations on whether youth are better, or not.

Campaign Credits:

Creation: Saatchi & Saatchi, London
Film Production: Somesuch, (LA Shoot: Somesuch LA, Poland Shoot: Papaya Films)
Director: Vincent Haycock, Los Angeles, California
Music: ‘When the party’s over’ by Billie Eilish & Finneas Baird O'Connell
Media: emetriq Hamburg, WPP Team Magenta, Düsseldorf
PR: Proud Robinson + Partners