Cingular Wireless Debuts Major Branding Campaign
http://news.excite.com/news/pr/010114/ga-cingular-campaign
Nationwide Ad Campaign Stakes Out Industry-First Strategy; Positions Newly Formed Company as the Only Wireless Provider Dedicated to Enhancing Individual Expression
ATLANTA /PRNewswire/ — Cingular Wireless — the second largest wireless carrier in the United States — explodes onto the American consciousness today with a major advertising campaign based around a unique new strategy for the wireless industry that highlights the importance of self- expression. The campaign gets underway during the AFC Championship game.
Representing the largest consolidation of brands in the wireless industry, the Cingular name unites 11 brands and 20 million customers brought together through a joint venture of SBC Communications and BellSouth.
“We have 20 million existing customers and 211 million potential customers we want to introduce ourselves to,” said Cingular President and CEO Stephen Carter. “Cingular will do something new: we will emphasize the importance of self-expression. We’re not about technology — we’re about our customers, their communication — about celebrating life.”
The multi-media campaign — the first created by ad agencies BBDO New York and BBDO South since it was awarded the account in October — will be seen nationally in both broadcast and cable television, newspapers, magazines, outdoor advertising, radio, point-of-sale, direct mail, online and more.
Among the other major advertising outlets for Cingular:
* Super Bowl XXXV* Survivor: The Australian Outback* The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other national outlets
Cingular replaces some well-known names in wireless around the nation, including Southwestern Bell Wireless, BellSouth Mobility and Pacific Bell Wireless. Cingular is a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth which was announced October 5, 2000.
“Wireless is evolving into a more emotional category,” said Virginia Vann, Chief Marketing Officer for Cingular Wireless. “Choosing a wireless carrier will become more of a branded decision as technologies blur and purchases are rooted in deals. As the ‘newest brand’ in the field, we see an opportunity to separate ourselves from the pack by being the first company to emotionally bond with our consumers and present Cingular as a more aspirational choice for their communication needs.”
Added Ted Sann, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer of BBDO New York, “We had a very clear positioning. Our challenge was to create advertising that could breakthrough the blur of sameness in the category. At the same time, we wanted a campaign that would work seamlessly on both the national and retail levels.” Sann continued, “We accomplished this by making the Cingular logo the symbol of self-expression and wrapping the advertising with the statement, ‘What do you have to say?'”
In the advertising, the Cingular logo has literally been brought to life. The logo, which looks like a dotted “x,” has been transformed into an animated character who appears at the end of all television commercials as well as all print and out-of-home ads.
“What better way to help personalize our company than to create a brand icon with personality,” noted Vann. “In fact, this device helps ensure that even our promotional and point-of-sale materials will capture the overall emotional message of our campaign.”
ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS
Cingular Wireless is the second largest wireless carrier in the U.S., and is dedicated to self-expression and customer-friendly service. As a leader in mobile voice and data communications, Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications and BellSouth, currently serves 20 million customers nationwide. Cingular’s vision is to grow rapidly by offering customers advanced technologies in simple, cost-effective ways that permit them to tap the creative potential of wireless through their own self-expression. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com .
ABOUT BBDO
BBDO is the third largest global agency network. In 1999, the agency reported more than $13.5 billion in worldwide billings from 297 offices in 74 countries.
Contact: Clay Owen of Cingular Wireless, 404-236-6153, or clay.owen@cingular.com , or Roy Elvove of BBDO New York, 212-459-5797, or roy.elvove@bbdo.com