AT&T 5G Helmet
AT&T 5G Helmet
Telecom marketing is often saturated with transactional messaging and predictable claims about speed. AT&T wanted to change the narrative by showing how 5G could truly transform lives. The challenge was creating something never done before — a fully connected football helmet with built-in 5G and augmented reality technology that would allow Deaf and hard of hearing players to see their coach’s play calls in real time.
This wasn’t a typical advertising campaign; it was an innovation sprint that required deep collaboration between creative, engineering, and production teams. We faced significant hurdles in sourcing the right developer to build the technology, navigating endless rounds of prototyping, and syncing development sprints with AT&T’s internal engineering team. Each phase required precision, testing, and multiple approvals to ensure the final helmet met both creative vision and safety standards while truly embodying AT&T’s purpose — “Connecting Changes Everything.”
CHALLENGE
As the Lead Senior Project Manager, I oversaw the project from concept through delivery, ensuring every technical and creative milestone was achieved on schedule. I managed the cross-functional workflow between creative teams, developers, and AT&T’s internal engineering department to merge the 5G technology seamlessly into the helmet. My role required balancing innovation with practicality — coordinating complex development sprints, facilitating approvals, and keeping all teams aligned as we navigated multiple rounds of revisions and prototype testing. Beyond managing logistics, I acted as a bridge between vision and execution, ensuring the integrity of the idea remained intact while bringing this groundbreaking piece of technology to life.
MY ROLE
PROOF OF WORK
The AT&T 5G Helmet redefined how people perceive the power of connectivity. In its first week, the campaign generated over 1 billion impressions, ultimately surpassing 4.5 billion earned media impressions in its first three months. Public sentiment across social media was overwhelmingly positive at 93.6%, a rare achievement for a telecom brand. The helmet also delivered immediate, tangible results — it helped Gallaudet University secure their first win of the season and earned NCAA approval for continued use in the 2024 season.
The impact extended far beyond the field. The helmet was added to the College Football Hall of Fame’s permanent collection, and AT&T began exploring the technology’s potential for firefighter helmets to enhance real-time communication. The campaign’s success was recognized across the industry, earning multiple top honors including Cannes Lions Silver, Clio Gold, Silver, and Bronze, a D&AD Wood Pencil, and LIA Gold and Silver awards — solidifying its place as one of AT&T’s most innovative and human-centered projects to date.