Verizon Kicks Off Re-branding Campaign

The telecommunications company formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE is launching a major effort Tuesday to get out the word about its new name — Verizon Communications.

The August campaign will include television, radio, print and Internet ads, and a variety of outdoor advertising. The ads will run in 45 markets in the United States, and was created by The Lord Group, Burrell Communications, Temerlin McClain and La Agencia de Orci & Asociados. Spending for the campaign wasn’t disclosed.

“Our change to Verizon may well be the largest re-naming campaign ever undertaken,” said Janet Keeler, Verizon senior vice president for marketing services and brand management.

“The advertising’s first job is to build awareness with our customers that the two companies they have done business with and trusted over many years have merged into a new company named Verizon. The second job is to reassure customers that even though we are changing the name of the company, customers can continue to rely on Verizon to deliver great quality service, as they did with Bell Atlantic and GTE.”

The print portion of the campaign features Verizon employees who explain the company’s new name and promise to keep up the same standards of service.

Simultaneously, the company will begin changing the name and logo on monthly bills, vehicles, buildings, marketing brochures, pay phones, and Web sites. The effort is expected to take 12 to 18 months. James Earl Jones, who was Bell Atlantic’s spokesperson, will continue to be the “voice” for the company, greeting callers to Verizon’s national directory assistance service.

The company has already been running ads and has made some of these changes for its wireless division. The domestic wireless operation has been operating under the Verizon name since April.