• by Laurie Petersen , August 7, 2013

In an attempt to appeal to younger customers, regional carrier Cellular One of Louisiana, Texas and Montana has gone country, launching a $500,000 advertising campaign featuring Nashville singer Rachel Holder.

The 20-year-old Holder does not actually sing in the spots, but is a recognizable figure and will also be featured in companion public service announcements delivering a message against texting while driving. 

The campaign is a win/win giving Cellular One reasonably priced access to an up-and-coming celebrity. Holder, meanwhile, gets some added visibility at the same time she releases on country radio a single cover of a song co-written by the more widely known country superstar Carrie Underwood. 

In the TV campaign, Holder wears the Cellular One colors of black and red while the message focuses on the introduction of 4G service and a promotional offer for those who upgrade of a free Samsung Galaxy tablet and promotional pricing on new handsets from Samsung, Sony, LG and HTC. 

Holder is featured in billboard, newspaper, and radio ads, all carrying the tagline “Great Value … Greater Service.” 

Margaret McKoin, CMO of Cellular One in-house marketing agency The Time Group, tells Marketing Daily the campaign will run through the end of 2013 and additional offers will be aired. The regional carrier’s annual marketing budget is about $6 million, she said. 

Holder will also be making a nationwide tour of high schools promoting her safe-driving message.