NYT: AT&T became the country’s largest phone company in November when SBC Communications, one of the original seven Baby Bells, bought AT&T, the old Ma Bell. Having absorbed its former parent and taken its name, executives at SBC are introducing a sweeping campaign to highlight the company’s new aspirations.
The challenge is to refresh the venerable AT&T name, which in recent years has been better known for corporate missteps, layoffs and big losses. On New Year’s Eve, AT&T will start blanketing the airwaves, newspapers, the Internet and thousands of billboards with its redesigned blue globe and the catchphrase, “Your World. Delivered.”
“The ads are going to let people know they can count on us,” said Karen Jennings, senior executive vice president for human resources and communications at AT&T.
“We wanted to embrace the spirit of optimism,” said Roy Spence, the president of GSD&M in Austin, Tex., which developed the campaign with another agency, Rodgers Townsend from St. Louis.
When in doubt, fall back on the old “We deliver” tagline strategy. I wonder how many great lines AT&Stodgy rejected before buying their new stinker.