AT&T will launch its largest-ever ad campaign today (Monday), in part geared toward absorbing Cingular Wireless into the AT&T brand. Television spots will include both the AT&T and Cingular logos- as well as imagery and phrases (such as "raising the bar" and the "Jack" character) from Cingular's ads in an attempt to integrate them into the AT&T brand.

About 2,000 Cingular-owned wireless retail outlets will begin to adopt AT&T branded signage, and 15,000 store employees will begin wearing uniforms adorned with the AT&T brand, writes AdWeek (via MediaBuyerPlanner). POP kiosks will also adopt AT&T-branded signage.

The campaign is a joint effort of AT&T's lead agency GSD&M, along with its B2B shop, Rodgers/Townsend, and Cingular's agency, BBDO. Hispanic advertising for the campaign is being handled by Dieste Harmel & Partners, and African-American-based ads are being created by Sandor/Wingo.

AT&T has said it would "honor" Cingular's ties to BBDO, but that it would also evaluate the needs of the business "and structure our agency relationships accordingly."

AT&T will also be launching an effort to rebrand BellSouth as AT&T. AT&T acquired BellSouth for $80 billion in December - the largest telecommunications merger in U.S. history. Cingular was a joint property of AT&T and BellSouth.

Total ad spend for the campaign has not been disclosed, but an AT&T representative has said it would surpass the cost of rebranding SBC Communications as AT&T in 2006. AT&T spent $1.7 billion on advertising in 2005, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus. Cingular spent $1.3 billion in 2005, while BellSouth spent $130 million.

The company has stated that 20 percent of cost savings generated by the BellSouth merger will be the result of advertising efficiencies.