Hesse goes to bat in new Sprint Nextel ad: Carrier’s new commercials focus on Simply Everything

Sprint Nextel is bringing out its big guns in an attempt to reinvigorate its reputation, which has taken a beating over the past year. The carrier announced plans for new television commercials staring its recently installed CEO Dan Hesse touting the carrier’s new Simply Everything plans.
In addition to sporting Hesse, the new commercials will introduce Sprint Nextel’s new “Welcome to the Now Network” tagline, which appears to be replacing its “Life at Sprint Speed” motto. Sprint Nextel claimed the new tagline and commercials will “emphasize an immediate approach to customer service and to the capabilities Sprint’s products provide.”
“Here’s our idea: You get to use your phone for all the great things it can do without worrying about the meter running. How’s that for a revolution in wireless?” Hesse says in the in the new ad.
San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners developed the new ad.
Sprint Nextel recently jumped into the unlimited game following similar moves by its rivals. Verizon Wireless was first onto the scene with an unlimited talk plan for $100; AT&T Mobility immediately followed suit with an identical plan, and shortly thereafter T-Mobile USA Inc. introduced a $100 per month plan that included talking and messaging. Several days later, Sprint Nextel fired back with its Simply Everything plan, which includes talking, messaging, data and other services.
Sprint Nextel is expected to provide more details on its network initiatives at next month’s CTIA 2008 event in Las Vegas.