Out with the New, In with the Old

January 23, 2007 in Communications with 15 Comments

CingularGet ready for one of the dumbest branding decisions in the history of marketing. In case you missed the news last week, some genius at AT&T has decided to wipe out the Cingular brand. The theory is that people would prefer to have all their communications services from one provider with one name. Here’s the problem–AT&T is a smelly brand. It’s old. It’s not trendy. I’m going to be embarrassed to carry my new, cool Blackjack phone using boring, stodgy AT&T service.

You’re probably familiar with Cingular. It’s the top provider of wireless service in the United States. Cingular is hip. It’s orange. The icon is a cool little blob character that has personality. I’m eager to brag about my Cingular service because it communicates cutting edge.

AT&T, on the other hand, is my parent’s telephone company. You remember that company don’t you? They were the company that used to sell this service called "long distance." They used to provide their service on actual wires that would connect to phones in my parent’s home–kind of like talking with a friend using two tin cans connected by a string. AT&T is so yesterday.

What am I going to do? How can I continue promoting the bleeding edge of technology if my mobile service is provided by Ma Bell?

I’m going to miss the orange blob guy. Good thing Clemson will be just up the road.

15 Responses to “Out with the New, In with the Old”

  1. Kathy Guy January 23, 2007 at 11:00 pm #

    I started my career out of college with AT&T (the original Ma’ Bell) in 1982. I spent 24 years changing names: AT&T, Indiana Bell, Ameritech, SBC, and (drum roll please…)AT&T once again when I left! We served one another well over the two decades. However, stupid decisions are not new coming from leadership – it’s the culture. We referred to them as having Bell-shaped heads!

    As I left smelly old AT&T to serve on the staff at cutting edge cool GCC serving the true “reach out and touch” message, maybe orange blob guy can find a new home too, free to live out his SHAPE! Clemson mascot, perhaps?

  2. Crystal Renaud January 23, 2007 at 11:05 pm #

    hey – i finally had a minute to listen to the “goodbye” podcast. seriously, it helped me out more than you could probably realize. P. Dave has, i’m sure, discussed with you our transition in losing P. Merle to another metro church and how difficult it is for a lot of us right now. well, after listening to the podcast and hearing a very similar situation happening for you guys that is happening to us – i know we’re not alone and am encourage to TRUST the One leading things. blessings to you and your new journey.

  3. Sam January 23, 2007 at 11:14 pm #

    imagine at&t on an iphone what an oxymoron!

  4. Phillip Longmire January 24, 2007 at 12:54 am #

    It is like turning in my remote for the dials on the tv…the ones that gave me 3 stations and a freaky one way out on 29…but it took two dials to find that one…

    Can you imagine…getting out of your chair to flip between the games…

    Go orange blob….BOOOO At&T

  5. Kem Meyer January 24, 2007 at 8:40 am #

    Seriously… who is hiring these corporate brand managers? They are completely out of touch. Blows my mind.

  6. Daryl Strickland January 24, 2007 at 9:16 am #

    Have you starting using Google Reader Mobile to read your favorite blogs on your blackjack? I started doing this last week and it is awesome.

    P.S. I am stoked about what God is doing at New Spring and you are a great addition.

  7. Misty January 24, 2007 at 9:34 am #

    Can someone tell me where I can find the link to the “goodbye” podcast?

  8. tony morgan January 24, 2007 at 9:40 am #

    Daryl, thanks for the suggestion on Google Reader Mobile. I’ll check that out.

    Misty, here’s the link to our podcast where Tim and I talk about my transition to NewSpring Church.

    tony

  9. Jen January 24, 2007 at 10:43 am #

    I couldn’t agree with this post more! Glad to see someone else shares my “pain”

    Grrrrr!

  10. Jay Hardwick January 24, 2007 at 10:44 am #

    tony -

    there is no solace in clemson being “right up the road”…

    cingular blob guy = cool
    clemson = redneck

    i know you want to be supportive of your new boss and all, but you gotta give the gamecocks a chance…i can help with that! :-)

  11. Tina Harkey January 24, 2007 at 10:59 am #

    Tony, Don’t let all those Clemson guys fool you. You are close now to the greatest school (drum roll) UNC Chapel Hill. On January 17 they beat Clemson at Clemson. That’s why the southern skies are Carolina Blue!

  12. Chris Harvey January 24, 2007 at 11:01 am #

    You are right on with this post!
    It doesn’t make any sense. Sounds like pride of an old AT&T company that wants to keep their name in lights!

  13. Sydney Olin January 26, 2007 at 11:25 pm #

    A link to Clemson!!!! You MUST be as godly as they say you are….well done, and GO TIGERS!

  14. Blake January 27, 2007 at 11:15 am #

    NO = ACC
    YES = SEC

  15. Gene Mason January 28, 2007 at 11:53 pm #

    I’m not big on branding in the church, but if we’re talking about the marketplace and AT&T, I don’t think there’s another company in America today crying more desperately for a total makeover and name-change than Ma-Bell.