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Inside Verizon's Human Touch, and Its Creative Approach to 5G
CCO Andrew McKechnie on the brand's more profound view of emerging technology
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As it’s been for so many companies, 2020 has been an eventful and challenging year for Verizon—as it implements and advertises 5G, and manages its own workflows and customer needs amid the pandemic. In this episode of On Brand, we speak to Andrew McKechnie, the telecom’s chief creative officer, who tells us about Verizon’s creative approach to promoting 5G, and how Covid accelerated the more humanizing approach the brand has taken in its advertising for several years now. He also discusses the critical value of diversity efforts, and what he looks for in his agencies—having come from the agency side himself originally.
Timestamps:
• 1:31 – How WFH is going for Andrew and his team.
• 3:15 – How Covid accelerated Verizon’s attempts to humanize itself and its messaging.
• 5:16 – Verizon’s overall strategy for promoting 5G.
• 8:04 – Why the brand made a documentary, Speed of Thought, about 5G.
• 14:53 – A look at the Chris Rock iPhone spot, cobranded with Verizon.
• 18:10 – Andrew’s commitment to diversity initiatives.
• 21:18 – How his long career at agencies informs his work on the client side.
• 25:16 – What Verizon looks for in its agencies.
• 28:17 – What the next six months look like for Verizon.
Every Thursday at 4 p.m., Clio president Nicole Purcell and I chat with top brand marketers—most of whom are still working from home—about the value of creativity, what they want from their agency and solution partners, how they’re shepherding their brands through Covid and beyond, and more. See all the On Brand episodes here.
If you’re a brand marketer who’d like to take part in the series, please get in touch.
