something incredible

And the company is relying heavily on marketing to make that happen.

SBC wisely hitched its wagon to the widely acclaimed Disney/Pixar movie “The Incredibles,” doing commercials featuring the movie’s animated super family and offering promotional items related to the picture.

As I mentioned in last month’s letter, marketing has never been more important and, given the cable companies’ move into voice services, it’s about time that the big telcos got serious about launching — and successfully promoting — their video services.

SBC’s recent FTTN, Microsoft IPTV and 2Wire DSL/DBS service announcements show that the company is resolute in its plans to give the cable companies in its territory a run for their money. But the fact that SBC — which always has been considered the most conservative of the conservative RBOCs — is showing a real understanding of how to execute a marketing plan tied to those new services may be the real news.

As I detail in this month’s cover story, “The Incredibles” promotion is just one of many marketing efforts to gain SBC customer mindshare as more than a phone company, but as an entertainment entity.

As Brooks McCorcle, vice president of consumer marketing at SBC, who is responsible for overall consumer products and promotions, told me recently: “Music and movies is how we will sell the next million-and-a-half DSL customers.”

Until Next Time,

Paula Bernier
Editor in Chief

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