The goal was single-focused: Unexpected ubiquity beyond the paid advertising communication goals. Important to remember, this company sets its standards high: it launched and became a Fortune 10 company using only four weeks of name change advertising – one bill cycle – and actually delivered that goal in three weeks. The twelve-week Test Man campaign launch that commenced January 23, 2002, was focused in Primetime and Late Night national broadcast, but the communication target was to deliver an effective 3+ reach of 90% of the target. As the attached videotape will demonstrate, the sheer scope of the results was dramatic. “Can you hear me now?” has become an American catch-phrase. Here’s how it was done: It was critical to maintain the purity of Test Man’s purpose: The single focus of testing the wireless network in every location – asking the words: “Can you hear me now?” The solution was to invent ways of placing Test Man into the familiar landscapes and locations of top-rated, popular prime time shows, targeted at Adults 18-49, enabling him to ask one simple question: Can you hear me now? The first order of business was to have a group meeting with all the networks simultaneously to discuss our objective and show the creative storyboards. Every vendor was required to sign a confidentiality agreement to obtain entry. The client deserves special kudos for releasing this very confidential information in this extremely competitive category in advance of launching the new campaign. But, the results were clearly worth the risk! Vendors were asked to provide ideas for integration within one week after the meeting. The first round of submissions was disappointing. Initially, high-priced, unoriginal opportunities seemed to rule the day; but after some additional encouragement NBC, ABC, The WB, TNT, TBS, fx, ESPN and USA networks found interesting and unusual ways of integrating Test Man into their program locations and environments. For example: On Tuesday evenings, one of NBC’s highest-rated nights, Test Man can be found in Seattle (Frasier), under the Town Square Clock (Watching Ellie), in the hospital (Scrubs), at the stadium during halftime at The NBA testing the reliability of our wireless network. He rides on top of a speeding truck in Fear Factor, also on NBC. ABC featured Test Man in The Temple of Doom during the Indiana Jones movie; and in the studio audience of According to Jim. We found Test Man in a boat off the dock of Dawson’s Creek and walking down dark alleys on Angel on The WB. He visited the set of Dinner and A Movie on TBS, Before and Afternoon Movies on USA, and barely got out of the way of an on-coming train on the action-packed set of the movie True Lies on fx. This is the first time that the national broadcasters have ever done anything like this. Along with the paid advertising schedule, this initiative has made the question: “Can you hear me now?” part of the American vernacular, while confirming Verizon Wireless as the single most reliable wireless network in the US. The media team for Verizon Wireless rewrote the rules of national broadcast support through this effort. As background: The largest, most reliable wireless service provider in The USA, Verizon Wireless, is committed to insuring that every call goes through. Built on the company’s actual testing procedures, they planned to launch that concept with dramatically different creative. The creative campaign features “Test Man” who tirelessly tests the service in both ordinary as well as extraordinary places asking the question: “Can you hear me now?” on his wireless phone confirming that every call can be successfully completed. The media team worked with the national broadcast networks to integrate the Test Man into on-air real estate previously unavailable to any advertiser. This enabled him to ask the question “Can you hear me now?” in a way that broke through television clutter – essentially; doing something that had never been done. The task: Deliver “Unexpected Ubiquity.” This mandate evolved into a collaborative effort to integrate the advertising spokesman into network program promotions – on location and with the network personalities. Not a one shot deal; it was achieved across NBC, ABC, The WB, TBS, fx, ESPN and USA and involved over 30 different shows. This submission is special and totally unique because: It unequivocally delivered the Verizon Wireless communication objective of “Unexpected Ubiquity” across the national broadcast networks--redefining the rules in a medium known to be fiercely protective of the integrity of all promotional and programming elements. The idea provided natural integration for the key proposition of the commercial message (Wireless Network Reliability) in a clear way transcending anything that agencies seek to deliver in the usual course of business as value-added elements. It is a winner because it broke the conventional boundaries of doing business: it integrated on-air program and production elements in a ground-breaking way. This was accomplished for the express purpose of leveraging business partnerships and share of spending that would result in the delivery of ubiquity to Test Man and the reinforcement of the message that Verizon Wireless provides the most reliable service to our customers. The huge exposure of Test Man in the familiar landscape of top rated shows bolted our message to the shows themselves, creating extraordinary impact and buzz with consumers. And there was no incremental media cost: this was funded from within the budget for the :30 commercial package at highly competitive costs-per-thousand.

The media team for Verizon Wireless rewrote the rules of national broadcast support through this effort. As background: The largest, most reliable wireless service provider in The USA, Verizon Wireless, is committed to insuring that every call goes through. Built on the company’s actual testing procedures, they planned to launch that concept with dramatically different creative. The creative campaign features “Test Man” who tirelessly tests the service in both ordinary as well as extraordinary places asking the question: “Can you hear me now?” on his wireless phone confirming that every call can be successfully completed. The media team worked with the national broadcast networks to integrate the Test Man into on-air real estate previously unavailable to any advertiser. This enabled him to ask the question “Can you hear me now?” in a way that broke through television clutter – essentially; doing something that had never been done. The task: Deliver “Unexpected Ubiquity.” This mandate evolved into a collaborative effort to integrate the advertising spokesman into network program promotions – on location and with the network personalities. Not a one shot deal; it was achieved across NBC, ABC, The WB, TBS, fx, ESPN and USA and involved over 30 different shows.