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AT&T
AT&T Business Solutions, a division of telecom giant AT&T, provides technology solutions to more than 3.5 million business customers worldwide, from small businesses to large enterprises. With marketing led by CMO Steve McGaw, AT&T Business Solutions is broadening its portfolio from telecommunications infrastructure to mobile apps, cloud computing and corporate network management. It provides enterprise-grade network services in 182 countries, and boasts every Fortune 1000 company as a customer. Working with its b-to-b agency partner BBDO (in New York and Atlanta), AT&T Business Solutions uses TV, print, online and out-of-home to show how it's helping customers transform their businesses. Last year, it launched a campaign called "Rethink Possible," featuring customers from Amtrak to a small Miami catering company. AT&T's b-to-b budget is estimated at more than $250 million.*
MICROSOFT
Microsoft Corp., with an overall ad budget of more than $1.1 billion, spends about one-quarter of that on b-to-b advertising.* The software giant, which reorganized last year into a more centralized company, in March tapped Chris Caposella for the role of CMO--his second stint in the job. Mr. Caposella held the CMO post from April 2011 to July 2013, then served as corporate VP-consumer channels group at Microsoft. In his new role, he'll lead marketing efforts to drive the company's new vision, "One Microsoft." Working with multiple agencies, including Deutsch and Y&R for b-to-b work, Microsoft is conducting a massive cross-discipline agency review, which began in January. While b-to-b work has typically been broken into separate product-focused campaigns (such as ads for Office 365 created by Wunderman), advertising is likely to become more brand-centric under the new vision.
VERIZON
The b-to-b business of telecommunications company Verizon is handled by Verizon Enterprise Solutions, a division established in January 2012 to provide cloud, security, mobility and networking services to enterprise customers. Marketing is led by Benigno Gonzalez, VP-global marketing and communications at Verizon Enterprise Solutions. Mr. Gonzalez bets big on content marketing and research-based campaigns, marketing specific services to enterprise accounts. For example, last year he led development of a content-marketing campaign called "2013 Data Breach Investigation Report," which analyzed security threats and breaches at organizations around the world. McCann is the lead agency for Verizon Enterprise, although the telecom has multiple agencies on its roster. Verizon's...