Qwest drops “Ride the Light”

Qwest Communications has dropped its technology-focused “Ride the Light” tagline and replaced it with the more customer-centric phrase, “Spirit of Service.”

The change is part of a new Qwest marketing campaign that will feature television commercials with Qwest employees touting the company’s commitment to improve customer service. The ads will initially air in Qwest’s 14-state territory and later be broadcast nationwide.

According to Qwest a statement from Qwest, “the launch of this campaign signals a commitment by the company to operationalize and communicate service initiatives that improve customer service.”

Courtney Quinn, senior analyst with The Yankee Group, said the change is indicative of the fall the market has taken from its peak in the late 1990s. At the time, marketing campaigns that emphasized technology innovations, such as “Ride the Light,” were in vogue. Now, with the promise of those technologies having lost their luster, many companies are focusing on the value that their services provide.

Indeed, this service-focused marketing approach is becoming more common among the major carriers. SBC Communications for example, is currently running an ad campaign that presents the company as dedicated to hard work and high-quality service.

“Think of the mgmt changes that have gone on,” said Quinn. “It seems we’re moving away from a cowboy management mentality to a much more stability-focused, execution-focused approach to the market.”