Sprint said it will add more than 100 employees as it creates a new in-house digital marketing agency.
The nation’s fourth-largest mobile network operator is seeking workers in creative development for display, programmatic digital media, paid search, media buying and analytics, among other specialties. The openings are primarily based in Reston, Virginia, and at Sprint’s headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas.
The carrier said the move will enable it to streamline internal communications, boost the bottom line and “take a more data-driven marketing approach.”
“As we continue to transform Sprint, we’re doing things differently and taking bold steps to drive better results and efficiencies, including greatly expanding our digital capabilities,” Sprint Chief Digital Officer Rob Roy said in a press release. “This emphasis on digital, now with new Sprint-based digital marketing talent, allows us to stay on the cutting edge as we work to better attract and serve our customers.”
Sprint will hire roughly 100 people this year and more next year to build the agency.
The announcement underscores Sprint’s aggressive marketing strategy under Roger Solé, who was named chief marketing officer in December 2015. Solé oversaw Paul Marcarelli’s very public switch from Verizon to Sprint, which has proved to be a highly effective campaign. Verizon's former "Can you hear me now?" spokesman continues to tout what Sprint has argued was a narrowing gap between the performance of its network and Verizon’s.
While Sprint continues to struggle to regain its financial footing, the carrier continues to grow its market share largely due to its aggressive marketing efforts. Sprint is currently offering a free year of unlimited talk, text and data to users who activate their own devices on the network in a move that Jefferies analysts said could help add 17,000 customers in the current quarter.