Sprint Nextel has announced that it will no longer feature its CEO Dan Hesse in its television advertisements. You may remember the black and white ads featuring Hesse promoting the wireless revolution. For example, in one ad Hesse is shown working on a laptop in the back seat of a New York City cab to promote the network’s robust coverage.
Why did the company initially elect to include Hesse in its ads? According to an article published on March 12 by Amol Sharma of the Wall Street Journal, “the company’s decision was a bold move at a time when public trust in corporate chiefs is at a low point. Mr. Hesse says the ads that feature him have been effective, especially in terms of brand recall.” By featuring Hesse, Sprint hoped to “humanize” its brand, especially after it was tarnished by its rocky merger with Nextel.
In our experience, a charismatic, articulate spokesperson can be extremely effective in representing their company and building its brand. But these individuals must carefully guard their reputations. For example, we all remember the PR nightmare that ensued when the CEOs of Detroit’s auto makers took private jets to Washington to ask for federal bailout money.
Since taking over as CEO of the wireless carrier, Hesse has been very involved in efforts to shape perceptions of Sprint. In addition to advertisements, he has been a strong advocate for public relations and even commented on the new book written by Communiqué PR co-founders Jennifer Gehrt and Colleen Moffitt, saying “Strategic Public Relations” is full of practical counsel on how to leverage the power of PR to help companies achieve their most important business objectives.”
The ads featuring Hesse have certainly gotten people talking. And if there’s any truth to the popular adage “any publicity is good publicity,” then perhaps Sprint made the right move, especially (to quote Hesse) “in terms of brand recall.”
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