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Not sure if this was posted yet - not sure if anyone cares, lol...but...
Sprint Cuts Y&R From Review
Goodby, Ogilvy Left in Hunt for $1.2 Billion Ad Account
By Lisa Sanders
Published: March 27, 2007
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Sprint Nextel, the nation's No. 3 telecom provider, has narrowed the contenders vying for its $1.2 billion advertising account to two, eliminating WPP Group's Y&R, a spokesman for the company said today.
The two remaining agencies are Omnicom Group's Goodby Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, and WPP's Ogilvy & Mather, New York.
From: http://adage.com/article?article_id=115773
Sprint Nextel announced a review in January, citing a need for "fresh thinking." Omnicom Group's TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York, its longtime consumer advertising agency, and Publicis Groupe's Hal Riney & Partners, San Francisco, which handled business-to-business work, dropped out of the review late that month, which left three agencies up until today's cut.
Media, handled by WPP's MindShare, is not part of the review.
Sprint Nextel Chief Marketing Officer Mark Schweitzer is leading the review. No consultant was hired. Goodby and Ogilvy are scheduled to meet with top Sprint Nextel marketers this week. Chris Doherty, the telecom's spokesman, said the company is on track to make a decision by the end of the month.
JeffDTD
03-28-2007, 11:01 AM
Guys, this is REALLLLLLLLLY good news IMO.
Sprint's advertising, despite a really creative flash here and there, has been pretty stale for a few years now.
They have SO MUCH TO OFFER and SO MUCH TO ADVERTISE .... With a new ad company, all the ideas coming to sprint should be completely fresh. Sure, sprint will decide what they want and don't want... but it certainly won't be more of the same.
And competition? thats downright delicious
Marlon_JB2
03-28-2007, 11:57 PM
Sprint marketing hasn't been decent since the Nextel merger... when they dumped Sprint guy. Brian Baker will be missed...
I like their call for "fresh thinking" in their plans.
The commercials need to be fun and entertaining I think. Humor is always a plus. Verizon's been successful with their commercials with their 'network' theme.
If Sprint could come out with a series of commercials even better than Verizon, perhaps as funny as the Mac commercials, then maybe their sales might see some improvement.
Jonathanlc2005
03-29-2007, 09:48 AM
bring back sprint guy and crime deterrant
Wayne 1
03-29-2007, 10:42 AM
I hope and pray the company that gets the job.......knows what they're doing. Professional, top quality advertising is CRITICAL to Sprint's success!!!!!!! ;)
Dubspoon
03-30-2007, 10:01 AM
I just wanna see the new add tout all that SN has to offer
DJRider
03-30-2007, 10:13 AM
I just wanna see the new add tout all that SN has to offer
They better pick the right agency. After yesterday's loss of the government contract they definately need something to go right. Sprint better get that big contract in May!
They need to go head to head with Verizon and Cingular,,,,show all Sprint has to offer, and how much cheaper it actually is. And of course push the nationwide maps and show their coverage!
I just do not understand why Sprint's customers see this but the people running the company are blind!!
nycgay23
04-02-2007, 09:36 AM
Goodby Scoops Up Sprint's $1.2 Billion Business
SAN FRANCISCO (AdAge.com) -- Sprint Nextel has named Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco, as its new advertising agency as the mobile giant looks to reinvigorate subscriber sales and its slumbering stock.
The nation's third-largest mobile provider spent $1.2 billion in measured media in 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence. However, in January when the review was announced, a Sprint spokeswoman indicated the amount was likely to drop.
"Goodby's sterling reputation and creative talents are second to none and together we will deliver a more integrated and strategic brand execution," Mark Schweitzer, Sprint's chief marketing officer, said in a statement. Sprint also liked Goodby's "combination of strategic strength, breakthrough creative execution and outstanding new media integration."
A big spender
The nation's third-largest mobile provider spent $1.2 billion in measured media in 2006, according to TNS Media Intelligence. However, in January when the review was announced, a Sprint spokeswoman indicated the amount was likely to drop.
Sprint has been putting a fair amount of its marketing dollars behind sports sponsorships and currently is in the midst of two high-profile, long-term deals, one for five years and $600 million with the National Football League sponsorship and a 10-year, $700 million Nascar pact.
In December, Sprint shuffled its marketing department, naming Bill Morgan as senior VP-brand advertising, overseeing brand management, advertising and media strategy and reporting to Mr. Schweitzer. Mr. Morgan, who was one of the leaders of the review, worked with Goodby when he was at SBC. Also hired to fortify marketing was Matt Carter, senior VP-customer retention.
Powered out
Sprint, at the time of its merger with Nextel, retained the agencies on the separate accounts, Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco, which handled sprint, and TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York. However, it re-ordered the two agencies' duties, giving Riney the business-to-business assignment, and placing consumer advertising with TBWA. The merged brand launched with the tagline "Yes, you can." Last fall, TBWA devised the current Sprint tagline, "Power up," and introduced "Sex in the City" actor Ron Livingston as spokesman.
Riney and TBWA dropped out of the review before it narrowed to three finalists. TBWA is the agency for Apple, which is launching a mobile device with AT&T. The third agency finalist in the review, Young & Rubicam, New York, was eliminated earlier this week.
Goodby pips Ogilvy
In the end, both Goodby and Ogilvy had extensive telecom experience with previous incarnations of AT&T Wireless. In the convoluted history of telecom, AT&T Wireless was folded into Cingular Wireless. SBC the bought AT&T and took the AT&T name, then AT&T acquired BellSouth, which shared ownership of Cingular Wireless with AT&T. Cingular Wireless was then rebranded AT&T Mobility.
Ogilvy, AT&T's longtime agency, was in part responsible for the "raising the bar" concept that BBDO melded into Cingular advertising. Some of that branding has been used to rebrand Cingular to the AT&T name. Goodby, meanwhile, at one point stole some of the AT&T work away from Ogivly and developed a series of emotional ads around the iconic "Reach out and touch someone" line.
The agency hire comes at a time when the long period of growth for carriers is coming to an end. The U.S. cellphone market is reaching a saturation point, according to several studies. With some 230 million subscribers nationwide, about two thirds of Americans likely to acquire a phone have one.
Lack of differentiation
The carriers also are struggling to differentiate their offerings. Verizon Wireless led the charge with its reliability claim as illustrated by its "test man" advertising. Cingular, now AT&T, joined in with its claim of "fewest dropped calls." Even T-Mobile is making a similar claim in certain markets where its record is strong.
As a brand, too, Sprint has been taking a hit. Not only has its subscriber growth stalled and its share price been stuck in the doldrums, but Millward Brown Optimor has branded Sprint a "fading star," that is a brand lacking forward momentum. "They swallowed Nextel. Not well. They never had a plan," said one executive who worked on the brand. Ironically, the executive said, the brand never really got powered up.
lennyj17
04-02-2007, 11:53 AM
I thought Sprint had a Good Message with "Power Up" it was clear and to the point..It will be interesting what this new team puts out.
Jonathanlc2005
04-02-2007, 03:56 PM
this is the company that made "got milk" from what i heard...
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