CHICAGO, March 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Team Sprint, comprised of integrated brand agency Digitas and global ad agency Leo Burnett, released the first [ TV spot ] [of series] for Sprint (NYSE: S). The 30-second spot features NBA star forward Kevin Durant and aired during NBA All-Star Weekend 2012 spotlighting Sprint as the nation's only wireless provider with a truly unlimited data plan. Durant was named the 2012 Kia MVP of the NBA All-Star Game MVP after scoring 36 points to lead the Western Conference in a 152-149 win over the Eastern Conference on Sunday night.

(Logo: [ http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100616/NE22345LOGO ] )

The campaign is centered around the notion that on most plans, when a person gets close to the end of the month or close to limits, they are faced with a tough choice: is that data download worth it? For many, it isn't an easy decision and ultimately makes a person pit data vs. data. Are certain pictures better than others? Is a video of your child's play better than the app you need for work? Is a sports highlight better than an email from mom?

The spot with Durant highlights the types of tough questions people have to ask themselves if they don't have an unlimited plan. Durant's signature move was pitted against a mobile game "Doodle Jump." For those without an unlimited data plan, "Doodle Jump" prevailed.

Sprint awarded Publicis Groupe's Team Sprint, led by Digitas, as its primary marketing-communications partner along with Leo Burnett. The scope includes general advertising, offline media, digital buying and planning, and analytics. The assignment took effect Feb. 1, and is managed from the Digitas Chicago office. Executive lead for Team Sprint is Tony Weisman, President, Digitas.

"We linked Sprint's new NBA partnership with a leading scorer and premiere player to reinforce the distinctiveness of the Sprint network and its unlimited offering," said Weisman. "Mobile is a primary connection point and it makes sense that Sprint is targeting an audience living across multiple screens."

"Sprint is focused on doing the right thing. We have these amazing devices that connect us to this incredible world of data," said Susan Credle, chief creative officer, Leo Burnett USA. "But now, people are starting to worry about the consequences of going over data limits. By offering people unlimited data on the Sprint network, customers can avoid this looming data dilemma."

Credits

Client/Ad or Campaign: Sprint "Unlimited" Campaign

Agency: Team Sprint, Digitas &Leo Burnett

Chief Creative Officer: Susan Credle

Creative Director: Michael Boychuck, Kevin Drew Davis, Mark Moll

Executive Producer: Chris Rossiter

Producer: Bryan Litman

Account: Vanessa Mackey and Melissa Wolf

Production Company: Smuggler

Director: Randy Krallman

VFX/SPX: Mass Market

Editorial: Whitehouse Post

Editor: Matthew Wood

Director of Photography: Brian Newman

About Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, part of the CAC 40 index] is the third largest communications group in the world, offering the full range of services and skills: digital and traditional advertising, public affairs and events, media buying and specialized communication. Its major networks are Leo Burnett, MSLGROUP, PHCG (Publicis Healthcare Communications Group), Publicis Worldwide, Rosetta and Saatchi & Saatchi. VivaKi, the Groupe's media and digital accelerator, includes Digitas, Razorfish, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia. Present in 104 countries, the Groupe employs 50,000 professionals.
Web: [ http://www.publicisgroupe.com ] | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook: [ http://www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe ]

About Digitas
[ Digitas ], the top global integrated brand agency, builds active brands for some of the foremost companies in the world. In 2012 Digitas was named OMMA Magazine's Agency of the Year and The Drum's London Integrated Agency of the Year. The agency also counts Agency of the Year honors from the Festival of Media, BtoB Magazine, and Les Agences de l'Année, France, and has been named to the Advertising Age Digital A-List among its many awards. Digitas also operates the brand content platform, The Third Act:, producers of first and most well renowned event on digital content, The NewFront; and, Prodigious Worldwide, the world's only standalone, global digital productions company. With sister agencies Starcom MediaVest, ZenithOptimedia, Denuo and Razorfish, Digitas is a member of Publicis Groupe's VivaKi—a global digital knowledge and resource center that leverages the combined scale of the autonomous operations of its members to develop new services, new tools, and new partnerships. Publicis Groupe [listed on the Euronext Paris Exchange - FR0000130577 - and part of the CAC 40 index] is the world's third largest communications group. With activities spanning 104 countries on five continents, Publicis Groupe offers local and international clients a complete range of advertising services. Web site: [ www.publicisgroupe.com ]

About Leo Burnett Company, Inc.
[ Leo Burnett Worldwide ] ([ www.leoburnett.com ]) is one of the world's largest agency networks and the parent company of Leo Burnett and its marketing services arm, [ Arc Worldwide ]. Leo Burnett, a HumanKind communications company, has a simple and singular approach: put a brand's purpose at the center of communications to truly connect with people. Leo Burnett, one of the most awarded creative communications companies in the world, creates "Acts, not just Ads," for some of the world's most valuable brands including The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg's, McDonald's, Hallmark, P&G, Allstate and Nintendo.

About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at [ www.sprint.com ] or [ www.facebook.com/sprint ] and [ www.twitter.com/sprint ].

SOURCE Digitas; Leo Burnett

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quot;;Team Sprintquot;; Releases First Work for Brand: TV Spot Featured Kevin Durant During NBA All-Star Weekend

"Team Sprint" Releases First Work for Brand: TV Spot Featured Kevin Durant During NBA All-Star Weekend 2012