Goodby Gains Pacific Bell's Long Distance

By Joan Voight





SAN FRANCISCO–Goodby, Silverstein & Partners has wrested the Pacific Bell long-distance account from Ketchum Advertising after a review, sources said.





Pacific Bell’s new parent, SBC Communications, decided to trim ad budgets and consolidate Ketchum’s Pac Bell account with SBC’s long-distance business, which is handled by Goodby, Silverstein. The agencies pitched against each other for the consolidated account last week.





While the telecommunications company waits for regulators to allow it to offer long-distance phone service, the budget for the combined business has been cut from $80 million-plus to an estimated $40 million or less, sources said.





Executives at San Francisco-based Pac Bell who hired Ketchum last year have been replaced with managers from SBC in San Antonio.