U.S. Cellular launches 'Hello Better' ad campaign focused on customer service

U.S. Cellular, in a bid to attract more customers, launched a new advertising campaign dubbed "Hello Better" focused on its customer service appeal and an attack against the practices of larger carriers.

US Cellular Hello Better

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The carrier's new campaign, which features two TV advertisements, implicitly knocks larger carriers. One spot dings larger operators for locking in customers to long-term contracts in exchange for phone upgrades, and ends with "Goodbye to lifetime commitments. And hello new phone upgrades without new contracts." Another spot lambasts phones from other carriers that can seemingly do everything but give customers reception where they need it most, and ends with "Goodbye deception. Hello reception, with the highest network satisfaction of any national carrier." 

The company did not disclose how much it will spend on the campaign.

U.S. Cellular CEO Mary Dillon is trying to get employees energized about the new campaign, according to an Advertising Age article. In an internal company video, she even sings: "You'll be satisfied, your calls will survive. Here's a number, call someone who cares."

Currently, the new campaign includes TV, print, radio and street advertising that the company says "highlights common frustrations and how U.S. Cellular treats customers differently." In a few weeks the company will have its sales associates use social media to invite "frustrated consumers to Call Someone Who Cares." U.S. Cellular will look for consumers who are complaining about their wireless provider on Twitter and then select associates will respond with a customized "Call Someone Who Cares" video. 

U.S. Cellular has been focused on executing on its LTE buildout and in attracting more smartphone customers. While smartphone penetration rates and data revenue has been increasing, the company has struggled to hold onto and attract customers. U.S. Cellular executives have said they need to work harder to translate the company's solid customer satisfaction rates into customer additions.

"Devices play a critical role in this category," U.S. Cellular CMO David Kimbell told AdAge. "You'll see us communicating around our devices, but we do feel like the carrier story is an important one."

In the first quarter, the company reported a net loss of 34,000 retail customers, reflecting a loss of 38,000 postpaid customers and gain of 4,000 prepaid customers. Postpaid customers comprised 94 percent of retail customers. At the end of the first quarter U.S. Cellular had 5.57 million retail customers and 5.84 million total customers.

For more:
- see this AdAge article

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