OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sprint (NYSE: S) has introduced a new advertising campaign to launch the next evolution of the award-winning HTC EVO™ family: HTC EVO™ 4G LTE, exclusively from Sprint. The theme of the new campaign, which began airing Sunday, is “Unlimited Love Unlimited EVO.”
Unlimited Love Unlimited EVO is the first fully integrated campaign created by Sprint in partnership with “Team Sprint” – integrated brand agency Digitas and ad agency Leo Burnett – designed to demonstrate the combination of the newest EVO smartphone on Sprint’s 4G LTE network. The campaign will be featured across TV, online, digital out of home, mobile and print, along with a socially driven interactive sweepstakes on Facebook.
“The creative for this campaign evokes an emotional response from the viewer,” said Caralene Robinson, vice president-Brand Strategy and Marketing Communications-Sprint. “The HTC EVO family of phones has a loyal following with millions of fans. They love their EVO devices, and this campaign highlights many of HTC EVO 4G LTE’s capabilities, including an 8-megapixel camera with rapid-fire, continuous shooting – so getting the perfect shot is simple – and a sound experience unrivaled on a smartphone. Those new features come to life in this campaign and we are encouraging viewers to tell us what they love most about the phone.”
The new national TV spot, “EVO Live,” is essentially a love song sung by EVO fans with their phones. It highlights the way people use their phones and how they interact with them, especially when it comes to music. The spot includes a 130-person “mobile chorus” recreating American alternative rock band Wilco’s hit song “I’m Always in Love” by using nine different music-making mobile applications. The ad highlights several of HTC EVO 4G LTE’s features, including its camera technology, audio and voice quality enhancements, and the unique red-line design detail and kickstand on the back of the phone.
“The EVO 4G LTE is one of the most beloved phones on the market today, with a passionate following,” said Michael Boychuk, senior vice president and executive creative director for Leo Burnett. “Keeping this in mind, we chose to announce the newest version of the phone by creating a unique rendition of Wilco’s hit love song. The final TV spot is powerful and strikes a chord artistically and from a product-feature standpoint.”
Social Media Campaign: Win the Experience of a Lifetime
For social-media enthusiasts Sprint introduces the “Win What You Love” sweepstakes1, an interactive element of the campaign driving viewers to Facebook. Through the Facebook sweepstakes Sprint asks, “What do you love the most? Tell us, and you could win an experience of a lifetime from Sprint, the only network with truly Unlimited data.”
For example, if you’re into movies, you could win access to movies for a year. If you’re into music, you could win access to the biggest concerts of the year. The intent is to reward one lucky EVO fan for being passionate about something they love. In addition to the “Win What You Love” grand prize, 40 additional lucky EVO lovers will walk away with new HTC EVO 4G LTE devices as runner-up winners in the sweepstakes.
“We are thrilled to create and orchestrate a campaign that is as multidimensional and dynamic as the product itself,” said Dave Marsey, group director of media for Digitas. “By integrating social media with an iconic location such as New York's Times Square, we are able to bring value and real-time relevance to the passionate community of existing and future EVO lovers.”
New York’s Times Square Electronic Billboard: Tweets Appear Live
Sprint is also giving fans the opportunity to have their tweets featured on a digital billboard in New York’s Times Square. The digital billboard encourages Times Square visitors to tweet #EVOLOVE to @sprint with what they love and the board will tell them were to find it in New York. The tweets and interactive experience help highlight HTC EVO 4G LTE’s unique qualities. The Times Square interactive billboard launches in early June.
HTC EVO 4G LTE is built on Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, integrated with HTC Sense™ 4. HTC EVO 4G LTE boasts brilliant features, including a vibrant 4.7-inch HD display, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, large 2,000mAh embedded battery and dual-cameras (8-megapixel rear-facing and 1.3-megapixel front-facing) with rapid-fire continuous shooting capability. HTC EVO 4G LTE brings back the fan-favorite kickstand built into the smartphone’s refined, slim design and introduces HD voice capabilities. The Sprint 4G LTE network is expected mid-year in limited markets. See www.sprint.com/4GLTE for details.
HTC EVO 4G LTE is Sprint’s first device with HTC’s Authentic Sound experience integrating Beats Audio™. The technology enables customers to hear music the way the artist intended with unique audio tuning that delivers thundering bass, soaring midrange and crisp highs. HTC EVO 4G LTE incorporates authentic Beats Audio across the entire phone experience, including playing music stored on the device, streaming from a favorite service, watching a movie or YouTube™ video, or playing the latest hot game. HTC Sync Manager software also lets users easily get their music on the device from their PC, and it works with current programs, including iTunes®.
Sprint recently announced Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio are expected to have 4G LTE and enhanced 3G service in mid-year. The anticipated launch of these large metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. Sprint customers in these areas will soon enjoy ultra-fast data speeds and improved 3G voice quality. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.
Credit List
Agency: Team Sprint (Digitas and Leo Burnett)
Chief Creative
Officer: Susan Credle
Executive Creative Director: Mike Boychuk
Creative
Director: Colin Selikow, Vince Cook
Executive Producer: Nicky Furno
Producer:
Ali Dolan
Production Company: Logan (TV)
Director: Vincent
Haycock
Editorial: Whitehouse
Music Company: Beacon Street
About Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, part of the CAC 40 index] is the third largest communications group in the world, offering the full range of services and skills: digital and traditional advertising, public affairs and events, media buying, and specialized communication. Its major networks are Leo Burnett, MSLGROUP, PHCG (Publicis Healthcare Communications Group), Publicis Worldwide, Rosetta and Saatchi & Saatchi. VivaKi, the Groupe's media and digital accelerator, includes Digitas, Razorfish, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia. Present in 104 countries, the Groupe employs 50,000 professionals.
Web: http://www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe
About Leo Burnett Company, Inc.
Leo Burnett Worldwide (www.leoburnett.com) is one of the world’s largest agency networks and the parent company of Leo Burnett and its marketing services arm, Arc Worldwide. Leo Burnett, a HumanKind communications company, has a simple and singular approach: put a brand’s purpose at the center of communications to truly connect with people. Leo Burnett, one of the most awarded creative communications companies in the world, creates "Acts, not just Ads," for some of the world’s most valuable brands, including The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg’s, McDonald’s, Hallmark, P&G, Allstate and Nintendo.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 56 million customers at the end of the first quarter of 2012 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national carriers and most improved in customer satisfaction across all industries during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
1Sprint EVO Win What You Love Sweepstakes – Abbreviated Rules
No purchase necessary to win. A purchase will not increase your chance of winning. The Sprint EVO Win What You Love Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of 50 United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico who are at least 18 years old. Sweepstakes begins on 6/5/12 at 12:00 p.m. ET and ends on 7/15/12 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET (the “Entry Period”). Void elsewhere and where prohibited. Data rates may apply if using a mobile device. For complete Official Rules, including entry instructions, entry without web access, prize details, restrictions, etc., visit http://www.facebook.com/sprint. Grand Prize value shall not exceed $25,000. Subject to Official Rules. This Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administrated by, or associated with, Facebook®. Sponsor: Sprint Communications Company L.P. 6200 Sprint Pkwy., Overland Park, KS 66251.