Verizon launches ad campaign that trumpets ‘everyday progress’

Verizon Communications today announced the launch of a new advertising campaign that promotes how the carrier helps its customers make “everyday progress” in their personal and professional lives.

Created by Lowe New York, the campaign includes a 60-second television commercial that will carry the umbrella tagline of “Make progress every day.” The umbrella spot will be followed in each market with two additional 30-second spots. The three spots will be rotated over the next several weeks. Hispanic, Asian-American and African-American versions of the ads also were created.

A direct-response campaign focusing on Verizon’s consumer products, DSL service and business services will support the umbrella campaign. The initial phase of the campaign will be followed by a secondary phase that will promote the company’s products and services.

The spots began last night and will be seen in nine markets--New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Tampa, Los Angeles and Seattle--generally in prime time.

By showing people who do normal everyday things, and making progress at those things, the carrier is hoping to "embody the things that we have been doing since Verizon started back in July-August 2000," said a spokesman. "A lot of little things that we’re doing add up to our customers benefiting and making progress in their daily lives."

One spot depicts two young people trying to master a "bongo" board, a type of skateboard with a wheel positioned in the middle of the board on its bottom. The object is to try to balance on the board, "like a mini see-saw," said the spokesman.

"They eventually get up on it and master it. It’s to convey that there are these little steps that people take—and that we take every day—to move the ball along." Eventually, the campaign will add spots that convey specific product-benefit messages.

The spokesman declined to divulge the cost of the campaign. "We never divulge the cost of any of our advertising or marketing programs," he said. "I don’t think you would find any different answer with any other telecom company."

--Glenn Bischoff, Senior News Writer