Image may be NSFW.
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UPDATE: See the full ad below.
EARLIER: T-Mobile girl Carly Foulkes abandons her famous pink summer dresses in favor of a black leather biker suit and a Ducati superbike in a new campaign for the wireless carrier (video below).
The new ads lead up to a relaunch of the brand in the fall, according to Peter DeLuca, T-Mobile's svp/ brand, advertising and communications.
Internally, ad agency Publicis is calling the spot "No More Mr. Nice Girl."
T-Mobile needs all the attention it can get: It recently laid off 1,900 call-center staff after CEO Philip Humm admitted that not being able to offer Apple's iPhone was killing its sales.
AT&T, which does carry iPhones, failed to acquire the company in recent months, leaving T-Mobile dependent on its 4G Android lines.
Foulkes is a huge piece of T-Mobile's brand equity—the former topless model has her own fanbase—and altering her image from girl-next-door to angry biker chick carries some risk. The company spent $517 million on ads featuring her last year, according to Ad Age.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
(Foulkes has appeared in biker leathers in previous advertising, but those were also girly pink.)
DeLuca said in a statement:
The makeover from the girl-next-door to an edgier, more tech-savvy and spirited Carly is synonymous with the evolution of the T-Mobile brand as we continue to push the envelope with device and service innovation to deliver amazing 4G experiences at an affordable price.
The campaign will specifically promote T-Mobile's 4G test-drive site.
Here's the commercial, in which Foulkes dismisses her frock-filled closet. The teaser is below that:
SEE ALSO:
T-Mobile Confesses: Not Having The iPhone Caused 1,900 Layoffs
VIDEO: Here Are T-Mobile Girl Carly Foulkes' Really Terrible Indie Film Shorts
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