Fast-paced Deutsche Telekom ad takes inspo from Peter Pan

Inspired by the quote “I am youth, I am joy, I am freedom” from James M Barrie’s Peter Pan novels, the first spot reimagines the classic story of youth for a whole new generation.

In it, viewers see four characters, Peter, Wendy, John and Michael, going about their daily lives, at work and caring for relatives. Highlighting the connection Deutsche Telekom offers, a message then pops up on a phone – ‘NVR tonight?’ – before the youngsters head out to a Neverland-style party in the woods.

At the end of the ad, we see Wendy wake up and reaches for her phone, while the closing message reads: “You can’t grow up if you’ve never been young.”

Ulrich Klenke, chief brand officer at Deutsche Telekom, said: “As young people continue to face unprecedented pressures, preserving their universal right to be young should be a priority. Deutsche Telekom is committed to showing our support for the younger generation, providing them with exceptional cultural moments through which to experience the real joy of youth.”

Throughout the summer, the brand will also be offering thousands of free music experiences across Europe.

Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, added: “Our work with Gen-Z and Deutsche Telekom is four years in the making now, and this year we knew what young people need more than anything right now is an opportunity to be young.

“Flipping the Peter Pan parable for this generation was the perfect narrative twist to inspire and help to launch our Joy Youth Freedom platform, based on the iconic J M Barrie quote. It’s impulsive, carefree and escapist, and that’s exactly what we wanted to achieve in our modern retelling. By using Gen Z creators and making a platform bespoke campaign we think we’ve set ourselves up for an amazing summer.”

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