MCI Worldcom, Inc.: Friends & Family campaign
Susan RislandOverview
With the "Friends & Family" advertising campaign, MCI Communications Corporation softened its image and turned customers into sales-people for the company's long-distance telephone services. Each customer was asked to give MCI a list of acquaintances who would be invited to join that individual's "calling circle" of people who received a 20 percent discount on the price when they called one another. The program was available only to consumers who designated MCI as their long-distance carrier. In one television commercial, actress Whoopi Goldberg strolled through her house while she chatted long-distance...