Who made it
Uncommon Creative Studio was founded in London in 2017 by Lucy Jameson, Natalie Graeme and Nils Leonard. Havas took a majority stake in 2023, and the studio kept its own brand and creative freedom (Havas).
The challenge
BT Business needed to launch AI Receptionist to UK small businesses, many of which "don't know where to start with AI," says BT's Helen Whetton. BT's own research puts the cost of missed calls to SMEs at up to £3.7 billion a year (LBB).
What they made
A phone rings in a busy pub while the barman keeps pouring pints. BT's AI Receptionist picks up, answers the customer and books the table. The 30-second spot runs on TV and BVOD, with creator content following a car salesman, a property expert, a restaurant owner and a graphic designer. Out-of-home flips "missed calls" into "sales secured" (LBB).
The result
LBB reports it is BT Business's biggest campaign since BT's May rebrand. Uncommon ECD Josh Tenser describes the goal as a world that is "cinematic and soulful, born out of the communities that make Britain tick" (LBB).
Watch the work
Why it stands out
Most AI launches show a screen. This one shows a pint, a ringing phone and a booking saved. The signals for brands: sell AI through one familiar job it does, put it in a real place your customer knows, and let the product be the quiet hero.