The Situation

The challenge Cricket faced was the perception of their technology. While people know Cricket is the cheaper option, many don't know that their 5G network is at par with, and better in coverage than the major category players, TMobile and Verizon. Some people didn’t even know Cricket had 5G capabilities.

While the category bickers about who has better coverage and speed, we needed to do something that cut through the noise. We saw an opportunity to prove our 5G technology in a way that truly spoke to fans during the biggest event of the year, Wrestlemania 40.

The Brief

Don’t just tell WWE fans Cricket has 5G, show them the power of Cricket 5G.

Objectives

Drive awareness of Crickets 5G

Build brand relevance with targeted audiences

KPIs: /Reach/ Impressions + Engagement

Idea:

Turn the legendary WWE steel chair into a modern technology marvel - a chair phone - powered by Cricket 5G.

The chair makes real calls, texts, takes selfies, streams content, and anything else a 5G phone can do. And in true WWE style it can even become a 5G powered fog machine.

The message was clear: if Cricket 5G could power something as simple as a chair, imagine what it can do to your phone.

Audience Insight:

For mobile users, 5G is the highest standard in mobile technology. For WWE fans, the power-tools of WWE power the biggest fan moments.

And there is no power-tool more iconic than the WWE chair. In fact, if you were to measure the collective adrenaline of fans when the chair enters the ring - it would probably create an adrenaline rush itself.

Our strategy was simple:

Wink at the fans, and amp up the drama by rigging the chair with even more power using Cricket's 5G technology.

Reach

The campaign was featured during the countdown to wrestlemania which had viewership of 2.16M across Facebook and YouTube, while the entire two night event was viewed for 1.3 billion minutes on TV.

Engagement

The results were as powerful. Within the first 48 hrs the TV spot wracked up over 1MM+ impressions and the entire campaign saw a staggering 45MM impressions and counting.

Cricket's instagram saw an astounding 6622% increase in engagement, and a total 1500x year over year impressions when compared to last year's partnership.

Brand Perception

All this to say WWE fans loved the Chair Phone and Cricket's confidence in their 5G technology, sparking fascination, curiosity, and ultimately appreciation, and respect, significantly enhancing brand perception.

Change in behavior

In a sea of wireless carriers touting their own 5G technology, we cut through the noise of the competition with over 45 million people talking about Cricket 5G, overnight.