AT&T Campaign Seeks To Change Parent-Teen Cell Phone Convo

by Laurie Sullivan, Apr 17, 2008, 5:00 AM

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GoPhone wants to change the conversation about wireless between parents and teens. That's the message from AT&T Mobility's latest advertising campaign highlighting unlimited talk and text, and freedom from shocking bills.

Featuring music icons Meat Loaf and Tiffany, the effort is scheduled to run through the end of the month. It attempts to highlight the no-contract-required GoPhone service that lets consumers carry over a balance from month to month, providing unlimited talk to AT&T's network of 70 million customers.

It's all about putting the consumer in the ad, making mom and dad feel comfortable that they are communicating effectively with their kids. Parents are worried about kids having a phone because they don't like the high bills, and kids just want a phone to talk and text whenever, according to Chad Harris, director of national advertising at AT&T Mobility. "Making a video with Meat Loaf and Tiffany is an attempt to stand out from the clutter," he says. "We have a unique message and want to have a unique way to deliver it."

In the creative designed by BBDO, New York and Atlanta, Meat Loaf breaks into song with GoPhone-inspired lyrics to the melody of his hit "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" when his son asks for a GoPhone. Mom, played by Tiffany, enters the room and joins in. Both mom and dad promise to get the son a GoPhone. The son, who pushes the father into song by asking for a GoPhone while sweeping the garage, sings "I'll love you till the end of time, I swear. I'll love you till the end of time."

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" is available for download as a ringtone to AT&T handsets. A 30-second television spot is running nationally, along with radio advertisements featuring the song in select markets.

AT&T Mobility also developed a radio version of the commercial. There's a 15-second online pre-roll teaser that leads to the longer version of the spot. The carrier plans to continue the parent/teen theme as more commercials are designed and distributed for the brand. "We want to produce water cooler conversation that uses creativity to highlight the product's uniqueness," Harris says.

For those who crave more than 30 seconds of GoPhone paradise, an extended 90-second video was posted to att.com/gophone. The video also was posted on YouTube. Harris says AT&T Mobility hasn't promoted the viral video, but earlier this week the Meat Loaf/Tiffany spot had more than 50,000 hits.

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