AT&T Business is winning with enterprise business decision-makers, but struggling to get a foothold with Small Business Owners (SBOs). This is a problem for the business. There are 15.5 million SBOs, and they comprise 52% of total business decision-makers. Small Business Owners s are not only one of the biggest segments within telco, but they’rethe biggest area of opportunity for AT&T Business.
Last year, we used humor and culture to help SBOs sleep easier. This year, we're continuing the disruptive approach, but advancing the storyline to show a different facet of the small business struggle — waking up ready to tackle the day. For SBOs, a good morning routine sets the tone for the day.
We looked to culture for the creative solution. Next to economic uncertainty, there has been one prominent headline this year: AI. Touted for its efficiency and ease, AI is being adopted by SBOs in increasing numbers.
We wanted to continue the story to help SBOs battle burn out, and we knew AI was a solution SBOs are adopting. That presented a clear opportunityto tell a story about a fictional small business that uses AI to help other SBOs. And not use it in the obvious, functional ways to “streamline” and “automate,” but to help them wake up easier, feeling motivated, confident, and affirmed. To wake up ready to tackle the day with a connectivity-dependent, AI alarm clock powered by AT&T Business.
How do you show you understand the SBO struggle? Use a year in the life of a small business to illustrate how AT&T Business makes launching and running a business easier for an SBO. But don’t use just any small business, use a business full of staff who are notoriously terrible at running a business - the cast from the TV show "The Office." (Craig Robinson,Oscar Nuñez, Ellie Kemper, Angela Martin, and Creed Bratton). The campaign's approach put this dysfunctional office crew in high-stakes scenarios where connectivity is particularly essential for a small business, then demonstrate how AT&T Business meets (and exceeds) their connectivity needs.
Our Wake Up with CrAIg campaign has begun to shift that perception and drive meaningful progress with SBOs:
Achieved a 6.7-point lift in consideration among Business Decision Makers in just seven weeks—the highest ever for AT&T Business and an improvement overlast year’s “Sleep with Rain” campaign.
Increased the perception that AT&T Business “makes it easy for me” by 10.5 points (from 52.8% to 63.3%) within seven weeks, directly addressing a keybarrier for SBOs and narrowing the gap with competitors.
Generated 8.9 billion PR impressions in 14 weeks—more than double the impactof the previous year’s campaign.
Drove 52% higher TV engagement than competitor campaigns and 37%higher than AT&T’s prior TV efforts, as measured by EDO’s analysis of ad-drivenonline behavior.
These results were achieved by meeting SBOs where they are—shedding B2B conventions to lead with empathy, culture, and humor. Building on last year’s momentum, this campaign chronicled the journey of a new SBO launching a business powered by AT&T’s connectivity, making the brand’s support tangibleand relatable.
AT&T Business is making real headway—reshaping perceptions, closing critical gaps, and becoming a more relevant and considered partner for SBOs across the country.
