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Sprint Internet Passport(SM) National Ad Campaign to Promote New 'Get Connected' Guarantee; National, Local and Internet Ads Focus on New Industry Service Standards with Powerful Message
PR Newswire - October 20, 1997 08:02
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KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprint Internet Passport today
launched a new national ad campaign to promote its ground-breaking consumer
Internet access "Get Connected" reliability guarantee.
The multi-million dollar campaign, featuring national and local print ads,
begins today in magazines and newspapers around the country. The campaign
also includes a significant presence on the Internet.
Created by J. Walter Thompson of San Francisco, the new ads focus on the
consumer expectation for reliability in everything they use. The ads show
everyday products, such as a television set or a wristwatch, displaying a
generic computer-style message -- "Failure to connect. Try later." The ads
then pose the question, for example, "You wouldn't put up with this from your
TV, why would you put up with it from your Internet service?"
The "Get Connected" guarantee begins today and offers users a service that
works every time, when they want it -- or they get a credit for one week of
access (a $5 credit). To ensure reliability, Sprint will maintain regional
pools of ready-to-access connection points, to which customers will be
directed at no charge if the baseline access service somehow does not allow an
immediate connection. Customers will be able to call toll free to get
connected to one of these access points through a unique 800 number if their
normal access number does not get them connected.
If, after a customer contacts customer service, Sprint Internet Passport
is unable to provide an Internet connection when the customer wants it,
Sprint will provide a credit for one week of access time. Individual credits
are for $5 and may be applied up to $19.95 per month.
Sprint Internet Passport also announced it will introduce Sprint Internet
Personal Trainers(SM), a brand new concept for providing advanced technical
consulting on everything from setting up the desktop to finding the best
content on the Net.
"We are trying to reach people who value time and money and want to be
productive on the Internet," said Lacey Roe, senior marketing manager,
Sprint Internet Services. "Sprint Internet Passport has made a guaranteed
promise to our customers that we will deliver reliable Internet access
service. These ads simply play off of what we already know -- users demand
reliability and Sprint Internet Passport can deliver."
The new advertising campaign will be seen in major national and local
newspapers, such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, as well as
magazines like Newsweek and Sports Illustrated.
The campaign will also be seen in high profile locations across the
Internet. Sprint provides 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week customer service
and technical support and local dial-up access in more than 200 local Internet
access points as well as via a national access number.
Sprint Internet Passport focuses on delivering reliable, fast Internet
access using the latest technology, like Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and
CNET Snap! Online for premier content. Software is available for both Windows
(95 and 3.1) and Macintosh users. After the first month free, customers can
begin using the Internet service billing option that best suits their usage,
either a flat rate of $19.95 per month for guaranteed, unlimited access, or
$1.50 per hour with no minimum usage requirement. Both Sprint and non-Sprint
long distance and local telephone customers can call 1-800-359-3900 to receive
a free Sprint Internet Passport software package.
Sprint is a global communications company at the forefront in integrating
long distance, local and wireless communications services, and the world's
largest carrier of Internet traffic. Sprint built and operates the United
States' only nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and is the leader in
advanced data communications services. Sprint has $14 billion in annual
revenues and serves more than 16 million business and residential customers.
Sprint Internet Passport is a service mark of Sprint Communications
Company. All other brand and product names are trademarks and/or service
marks of their respective companies.
SOURCE Sprint
/CONTACT: Jeff Shafer of Sprint, 913-624-4887, or e-mail,
jshafer@igate.sprint.com /
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