The film is a music video for a poem. It begins with a poet in an empty theater reciting the opening lines. Scenes of more people reciting parts of the poem are intercut with historical footage, typographic treatments, and animations. The poem speaks to how connectivity is the catalyst for change. The pacing of the poem and the edit are seamlessly intertwined, creating a mesmerizing rhythm. At the end of the spot, a card reads: CONNECTING CHANGES EVERYTHING.

For many years, telco as a category has been all about sales activations and less about creating brands people care about. While this strategy has maintained sales, it creates a risk of commodification over the long-term. With the launch of the Connection Changes Everything campaign, AT&T sought to change that and to build a brand connection that could support their business goals for years.

This film is a slam poem about everything you can change when you connect with others. The poem was written in collaboration with Anis Mojgani and is delivered by him in the film.

Here’s a thread

The power to connect

is the power to change

Connect one dot

and change the whole plot

Connect one day

and change a long week

Connect one thought

and change what you speak

Connecting hearts

we change the flow

the plan

the route

the course

the path

the road

Connect to uncertainty

and change what we know

The plots that unfold

The seeds that we grow

Connect

and change what you want

What do you want?

Find it

and lose it again

Don’t like the hue

Change the color

Fear the storm

Change the thunder

Don’t share the dream?

Dream another

Connect the wishes

you’re wishing

And change ALL THINGS

you’re missing

A face

A place

A dance

A town

A frown

Your vow

The now

The news

The views

The night

The fight

The light

Anything you like

Connect and change!

’Cause change …

Change’s never been so at hand

CARD: AT&T. Connecting changes everything.

Anis will deliver the poem straight to the camera. As he does this, we’ll intercut with footage of all kinds of change. Sometimes, we will see footage corresponding to precisely what the poem is saying. Other times, we’ll see less literal shots of people connecting and making changes in their lives.

At a certain point, other people will start to recite the poem too. We’ll use a pacey edit to give lines to many voices. In the edit room, we’ll also add to the film a mix of historical footage, people connecting with each other via multiple devices, close-up shots of screens, cartoon animations, big typography, found footage, and even images captured by phones and security cameras. All connected in a vibrant edit.

By the end, the poem’s pace and the edit’s pace are incredibly interconnected, like a dance, creating a vibrant, mesmerizing, empowering rhythm.

CARD: Connecting Changes Everything

LOGO: AT&T

Humans have always sought growth and change, whether in our diet, salary, style, or society. In 2023, connectivity is more crucial than ever to effectively bring those changes to life. In our spot, we only showcased individuals who use their connections to promote change in a range of fields, including TED talkers, e-commerce owners, environmental activists, YouTubers, and online educators.