Verizon hopes to catch your attention by talking about a few simple things.
The telecommunications giant plans to eliminate activation and upgrade fees for customers who have already paid for phone service as part of a new “Simplicity Plan,” and to offer a new promotions that include a return on dollars spent as well as prizes and rewards. To get the word out, Verizon has reunited the cast of the popular “Austin Powers” movies, including Mike Myers as Dr. Evil, to star in a new marketing campaign, as well as the cast of the original telenovela “Yo Soy Betty, la Fea” — the original “Ugly Betty” — for a Spanish-language effort.
“We felt like we really needed to break out of this mold and break out of historical behaviors within the industry,” says Leslie Berland, Verizon’s chief marketing officer, during a recent interview. “We know that people were frustrated by device upgrade and activation fees. It’s a time when they are excited to get a new phone, and we wanted to remove the friction from that.”
In the new campaign involving the “Austin Powers” cast, Dr. Evil reunites his associates, played by Rob Lowe, Seth Green and Mindy Sterling, to launch “Menace Mobile,” which will feature “the most confusing pricing plans of all time.” The “Ugly Betty” campaign features Ana Maria Orozco, Jorge Enrique Abello and Lorna Cepeda discussing how Verizon makes things easier for customers.
