In a British culture where:

1. The impact of smartphones on young people's mental health is increasingly apparent

2. Crucial life and digital skills are being overlooked in school curriculums

3. Parents are concerned about their children's ability to navigate a tech saturated future

EE recognised the challenges that smartphones are introducing to society, their sector's role in this, and the corresponding threat to their own business.

The brief was to design a platform that would address these concerns, providing children with the skills to thrive in a smartphone-obsessed world, reassuring their parents about their children’s ability to lead healthy digital lives.

The primary objectives were:

- Shift EE's brand perception nationwide, underscoring its role in empowering better lives.

- Boost UK children's confidence and mental health resilience through relevant skills.

- Reassure parents their children are equipped with the most relevant skills to thrive today and tomorrow.

If the phone is the problem, could the phone be the solution?

Introducing EE Learn - a platform to support, educate and navigate the online world.

Launched with an emotive film aimed at British parents with their kids.

The film pointed to LearnSmart - a dynamic mobile tool helping children learn to be smarter, safer and kinder online by teaching crucial digital and life skills.

The more they learn, the more they can unlock related apps and online content - putting the skills they’ve just learned into practice.

If they learn about dealing with negativity online with Marcus Rashford of the England football team and Milly Pickles, they’ll be more ready for social media.

As they grow, it grows. Following their phone lives and tackling new influences like AI and how to spot misinformation online.

Repurposing smartphones from problem to solution required addressing parents and children's needs. We conducted extensive research with both audiences.

We found out that parents are focused on aiding their children's growth but are concerned about smartphone usage. The findings showed us we had to create an experience focused on garnering their trust by:

- Featuring expert creators, content, and partners.

- Highlighting neglected growth skills like confidence.

- Reassuring them on their children’s readiness thanks to newly acquired skills.

We found out that young learners are experiencing a decline in the joy they get from learning due to a performance-driven curriculum structure. The research showed that we had to ignite their natural curiosity and passion by:

- Introducing inspiring content and teachers.

- Delivering the experience on devices and through formats they love.

- Rewarding them with badges and digital privileges to access experiences they have learned about.

To launch EE Learn, the film sensitively depicts the modern teenage experience. Rather than actors we used 100s of real kids, from real schools, from across the UK, to authentically portray the lived experiences of young people in 2023. We captured the multitude of ways young people use technology during their school years, including the challenges they face with it.

The film pointed to LearnSmart – an open-to-everyone, mobile-first experience for both parents and kids featuring:

•Bite-sized lessons to enhance engagement.

•Interactive quizzes embedded in each lesson to reinforce knowledge retention.

•Content educating kids on new formative technologies like AI, delivered by relatable figures, from Bafta to the FA.

•A unique unlock feature to empower parents and motivate kids. Parents are notified when their child completes new skills and led to parental controls on the EE app. Children prove their knowledge and unlock desired digital experiences as a reward.

The EE Learn film was part of an integrated brand relaunch with multiple assets. At launch weekend, the advertising reached over 23 million people. This drove a huge mention across social, with the conversation reaching nearly 7m. Searches for EE were up 10% YoY in UK.

The survey results demonstrate how LearnSmart is boosting mental health in young people, while also positively impacting parents and EE:

- 2 out of 3 11- to 18-year-olds in the UK believe that LearnSmart makes them feel more confident in themselves and their abilities. 54% feel less anxious about using their smartphone thanks to LearnSmart.

- 79% of parents of 11–18-year-old agree that LearnSmart helps their child prepare to use smartphones safely and responsibly.

- 89% of 11–18-year-old parents agreeing that EE is making a positive difference in the world through LearnSmart.