Comedian Craig Robinson is helping AT&T convince small business owners to consider its internet services.
The company is rolling out new ads for its “Wake Up with CrAIg” campaign today, bringing back former cast members of The Office to support Robinson as he embarks on his fictional small business journey.
In the campaign, created by West BBDO, Robinson attempts to commercialize his great idea: an AI alarm clock powered by AT&T Business’ internet.
AT&T Business began teasing the campaign over the summer, with a leaked video showing Robinson announcing that he is quitting comedy, before he confirmed the news on Instagram. Billboards began appearing in Los Angeles reading, “Craig Robinson Is Quitting Comedy.”
This caught the attention of the media—and Robinson’s father.
“Craig said his father called him and said, ‘What is going on?’” said Valerie Vargas, AT&T’s senior vice president of content creation and advertising.
“Wake Up With CrAIg” is a sequel to the company’s 2024 “Sleep with Rain” campaign featuring The Office actor Rainn Wilson as he built a small business around a talking pillow.
Speaking to small business owners
It’s all part of AT&T’s plan to extend its footprint beyond Fortune 1000 companies.
Vargas said small business owners need to wear multiple hats, so the company wants to convey how it can help them succeed with its security, reliability, and expertise.
The new ads focus on the security pillar, timed to Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October.
In one spot, bad people tried to hack Robinson’s AI alarm clock but are thwarted by AT&T’s Dynamic Defense product. The other reveals the “world’s most protected business,” which is essentially a building protected by armored walls but no door.
“In order for advertising to break through to the audience you’re trying to reach, the work needs to be ownable, fresh, and of culture,” Vargas said. “When you do that, you’re not a disruption of advertising. You are welcomed entertainment.”
“Sleep with Rain” was successful in driving awareness and consideration, which are AT&T Business’s two high-priority metrics.
One of its lessons from that effort was that the brand, products, and services had to be core to the story.
“Craig is introducing an AI alarm clock to wake up small business owners, which inherently needs AT&T’s fast and secure internet to deliver that product,” Vargas added.
The ads also include actors Creed Bratton, Angela Kinsey, Ellie Kemper, and Oscar Nuñez.
“One of the things that impressed and delighted us was the amount of people and equipment it takes to make a commercial of this caliber. It definitely shows in the final product,” Nuñez told ADWEEK in a statement.
The campaign will roll out across linear TV, advanced TV, digital, and social platforms.