Cellular provider says it spends on service, not spokespeople

Alltel pokes fun at its competition's reliance on celebrities to hype cellular service in DDB's first work since winning the $70 million telecommunications account last month.

The first of four TV spots from the Omnicom agency opens with a boy band singing on a soundstage in praise of "Super Massive Wireless." The boys are pulled above the stage by ropes attached to their backs in a ridiculous parody of boy-band choreography. A Super Massive rep tells a confused consumer that the band is "worth every million." The consumer replies, "Why don't you spend the money on making my phone work better?"

"Do we think alike or what?" asks a voiceover, which goes on to claim that, "At Alltel this year, we're investing nearly $700 million in our wireless network, not in celebrities."

The execution, which broke on Sunday, is tagged, "You got that right."

The category has been rife with celebrity spokespeople: Catherine Zeta-Jones pitches for T-Mobile; James Earl Jones lent his baritone voice to Verizon Wireless; actress Joan Cusack hypes U.S. Cellular; and actor Dennis Franz touted Nextel Communications.

This is a new philosophy for Alltel, which used Faith Hill in its 2001 campaign from previous shop The Martin Agency in Richmond, Va. "You notice they stopped using her," said Paul Tilley, svp and group creative director at DDB.

The work is meant to position the Little Rock, Ark.-based client as a company that employs "common sense solutions," Tilley said.

The campaign is one of three DDB Chicago pitched to Alltel marketing execs in a review the shop won over finalists Martin; Campbell-Ewald, Warren, Mich.; MartinWilliams, Minneapolis; and The Richards Group, Dallas.

Martin's last effort, called "Minutes," was tagged, "Are you connected?," and centered around the idea that Alltel can help consumers make the most of their minutes.

"Previous advertising didn't deliver in a fashion that was resonating with the customer," said Frank Guido, Alltel's vp of marketing.

During the review, Alltel said it wanted to show how it was changing and different from the competition. "We told them to give us some real reasons of how they are different," Tilley said.

DDB's strategy was to show what the competition is doing wrong in its marketing efforts, have a consumer ask why and then illustrate how Alltel execs have listened and what they are doing about it, said Tilley. "The spots are really conversations between Alltel and the customer," he said.

The work, which will run in the 26 states where Alltel service is available, also includes radio, print and outdoor.

Executions still in production will showcase Alltel's customer service. One execution addresses fictional competitors' curt service reps and customers' frustration at being transferred through a maze of departments without getting their problems resolved.

Alltel then boasts how it does not transfer people and has trained staff to take the time to solve customers' problems.

Another spot talks about how competitors' digital-coverage areas tend to be along major highways and cities. The commercial shows how Alltel is extending its service to meet the needs of customers in smaller towns and rural areas, Tilley said.