PacBell Piques Our Interest With Doris

Advertiser: Pacific Bell Internet Services

Agency: Ketchum Advertising, San Francisco

Challenge: To distinguish PacBell’s service from the many other Internet services available.

The Ads: Text-only TV and print ads introduce consumers to Doris, the fictional boss of Pacific Bell’s Internet Services unit. In the ads, Doris promises, in handwritten scrawl, that she won’t let customers get stuck in the World Wide Web “like some moth waiting to be a spider’s dinner.” Ads tout a 24-hour toll-free help line, plus “choices, options, ‘wows’--and now, Doris.”

Comment: In the world of spokescharacters, Doris is a novelty. She is neither seen nor heard. People get to know her thorough her words--fitting, because that’s how Net surfers interact. The ads stand out visually, and Doris’ quirky hipness gives the spots personality. It’ll be interesting to see how the campaign evolves. $$$

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Ads are rated from $ to $$$$, based on tastefulness and probable effectiveness, with $$$$ being best.