For decades, Verizon has been the leader in telecommunications. And even though everyone agreed their network was (and still is) best-in-class, the perception of the brand wasn’t always great. Seen as a big, arrogant, out-of-touch corporation devoid of humanity, we knew what we had to do: keep Verizon’s position as a premium brand while evolving their image and voice to be more relatable to consumers. And that doesn’t just happen overnight in a single campaign, it happens by affecting the creative across many different touch-points of the brand over time. From introducing a new rewards program for loyal customers to telling stories about the support Verizon offers to military families to establishing the brand voice, we’ve worked to slowly lay the foundations for a more relevant, more human Verizon.
With 5G technology still in its earliest days and yet to be introduced to the world in a meaningful way, Verizon wanted to make a statement about the impact it will soon have on our lives—the realization of building smart cities, doctors capable of performing long-distance surgeries via robotics and still many more technological advancements that are only possible on a new and faster platform. First shown at the 2019 CES Keynote address by CEO Hans Vestberg, this video invites the world to build, create and imagine the possibilities on a Verizon 5G network.
We saw an opportunity to highlight a part of the brand that didn’t seem to be getting enough credit for the good it was doing—Verizon’s support of active-duty and retired military families ranks highest in the country. This campaign focused on real military families to show how the reliability of Verizon’s network keeps loved ones connected in their daily lives—and closes the distance between them, even when duty calls.
One of the biggest challenges facing Verizon was to talk like a leader without chest-beating all the time. This meant a new brand voice and typographic treatment. Bold, relatable, confident straight-talk. Most importantly, speaking less like a corporation and more like humans.
In 2017, Verizon launched its very first rewards program for one simple reason: to thank their customers. But with Verizon Up, you don’t just get rewarded, you get stuff you actually want: everyday perks, discounts on go-to brands and apparel—even exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. To get the word out, we needed to not only educate our customers about the new program, but to entice them as well. Because after all, these are rewards you really, really want.
As part of Verizon’s mission to make a positive impact on society, Verizon Innovative Learning was developed to bring cutting-edge tech and STEAM curricula to underfunded schools in disadvantaged communities across the country. To raise mass awareness of this program, we launched a fully-integrated campaign—starting with a partnership with Pharrell and an out-of-home takeover of New York City—celebrating the real students who are already doing amazing things as a result.