AT&T gets "Edgy": Make Your Re-Brand Worth While

AT&T announced that their new corporate advertising campaign will be redesigned with the younger, edgier wireless user in mind. Even the website is getting a complete color makeover with orange being the primary corporate color. "The new initiatives are designed to highlight how AT&T helps connect people to their worlds wherever they live and work," AT&T Chief Executive Randall Stephenson said in a statement. "We want to ensure this message is reflected in our brand."

Though this isn't the boldest move on their part (considering they're already associated with Cingular's trademark little orange man), I think it will help integrate their interactive and traditional initiatives. Redesigning their website and ads to identify and connect with a younger, edgier consumer, could result in the loss of a few customers. To many, this youthful, frequently labeled, immature and inexperienced demographic is hard for many to identify with. But I wouldn't recommend splitting ventures when planning a re-brand, go big or don't go at all. Keep your focus on your target and be prepared to alienate some people, but at the end of the day when making these types of updates you must be decisive and really committ to it.

Considering the primary demographic of online surfers (which tends to be more towards the 18-34 end of the spectrum) it could be a great way for AT&T to gather loyal users as they first step into the market to make their own purchase. One factor that I would point out however is just how many other telecommunication companies are now using their own shades of orange to convey the same messages. At any rate, it'll be interesting to see what effect the change has on the corporate perception if it's even a big enough step away to take any effect at all.