• by Laurie Sullivan , August 25, 2008

Alltel's quirky brand characters--Chad and the sales guys from T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel, AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless--are still hard at work. The wireless carrier, which Verizon agreed to acquire for $28.1 billion in stock and debt, has launched a new television campaign, along with accompanying print and online ads to keep products and services on consumers' minds.

The television spot began airing Friday on national cable channels and targeted local markets. Soon, print and online ads will augment the promotion, too. Consumer feedback data will determine the length of time the TV spot and ads run.

The ad puts a new perspective on the two-year old campaign. It adds information about the My Circle service and provides a way for Alltel to keep products and services top of mind with consumers.

Alltel spent $200.6 million on advertising in 2007, and $48.6 million from January through March 2008, excluding online, estimates Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

The "Lemonade Stand" spot opens with the sales guys representing T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T Mobility and Verizon looking into an Alltel retail store as Chad explains to potential customers that it only costs $9.99 to add a line to the My Circle calling plan.

The sequence takes the viewer back several years when Chad and the sales guys were in grade school. Young Chad feels consumers should be able to share lemonade with the whole family, while the kid sales guys disagree. As the spot flashes-forward to present day, the guys grow bitter at Chad for being proud that Alltel's My Circle calling feature allows customers to share minutes with the whole family.

The Verizon acquisition hasn't left Alltel to rest on its laurels. It continues to woo new subscribers as well as try to satisfy those who have already signed on. "We're rolling out new products and services, and launching new ad campaigns, so it's business as usual," says Lucie Pathmann, director of marketing communications at Alltel. "Chad and the sales guys have become pop culture icons, and this spot takes it to a new level by getting a glimpse of their lives when they were young." hcdp H