As Other Southeast Banks Merge and Blend, AmSouth Emphasizes Stability and Relationships in TV Ads.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- With other banks in the Southeast in the midst of a blur of mergers and acquisitions, AmSouth Bank (NYSE:ASO) has begun airing television commercials in major media markets in Alabama, Tennessee and Florida to capture the attention of consumers evaluating their options and looking for a better banking relationship. The new television campaign consists of three, 30-second television spots and is part of an aggressive 23-market campaign across a variety of media including newspaper, radio and direct mail.

"AmSouth's business proposition is simple - we are 'The Relationship People,' and we have been for more than a decade," said Scott Peters, AmSouth's chief marketing officer. "With our new campaign, we are building on the significant equity in our brand to reinforce that our people and our commitment to customer relationships are what makes AmSouth stand out in this highly commoditized industry. Given the confusion that often results when banks merge, our timing to reinforce this message of stability to existing and potential customers could not be better."

The carefully timed television ads build on a decade of AmSouth's brand identity as "The Relationship People," a message that has transcended market positioning and become a key driver of business strategy for the Birmingham-based bank. The new campaign represents Peters' first major campaign on behalf of AmSouth since his arrival at the bank in 2004.

Peters joined AmSouth from Fidelity Investments in Boston, Mass., where he served as segment manager responsible for the majority of retail investment households with more than $1 billion in revenues. Prior to his tenure at Fidelity, he served as director of Mass Market Retail Banking at KeyCorp following his entry into banking with Citibank where he served as director of U.S. Core Product Marketing with responsibilities for consumer credit and deposit marketing and product development.

Each spot was created to tell a story about a banking relationship throughout a customer's life and across multiple generations of families by strategic market segments. One ad features how an AmSouth relationship helped a family send their daughter off to college, finance a car so she can come home to visit, open her first checking account and empathize with the emotional separation for the parents. A small business ad features a ballerina instructor, who began her relationship with AmSouth to fund her ballet training, and is now opening her first studio as a business customer.

The third spot, aimed at the growing customer segment looking for investment planning services, retirement and trust services, features a successful grandfather and how the right financial services relationship and advice from AmSouth throughout his primary earnings years now benefits three generations. At the heart of each concept is an AmSouth banker, delivering the expertise, commitment, and individualized attention for which the bank is known.

"Properly executed, branding defines what one can expect from a company," says Peters. "Joining AmSouth was particularly refreshing for me, because this company walks the talk of its brand, driven by six basic principles designed to build and retain relationships. 'The Relationship People' brand positioning has, for more than a decade, been a key driver of internal culture as well as business strategy and thus, the customer experience."

AmSouth's Six Basic Values are both derived from, and reinforce the company's brand positioning. They drive a consistent theme throughout the company's internal and external communications, including part of AmSouth's new-hire training. The values are:

--Do the right thing.

--Do more than is expected.

--If something's wrong, make it right.

--Make time for people.

--Improve someone's life.

--Make a difference.

Peters adds, "AmSouth's brand promise, unlike many of our competitors in the industry today, focuses on making customers and potential customers feel welcome in our branches. Our culture exhorts our bankers to take the time to understand customer needs and build relationships, not just sell products.

As our new ads make clear, when it comes to a person's finances, having a banker who knows you and understands your business or your family is a valuable differentiator."

Spillover markets by state for the new television ads include: In Tennessee - Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Dickson County, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Shelbyville and Williamson County. In Alabama - Cullman, Anniston, Gadsden and Tuscaloosa. In Florida - Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, and Collier counties, and the cities of Ocala, Daytona and Melbourne.

About AmSouth

AmSouth is a regional bank holding company with $50 billion in assets, more than 670 branch banking offices and over 1,200 ATMs. AmSouth operates in Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia. AmSouth is a leader among regional banks in the Southeast in several key business segments, including consumer and commercial banking, small business banking, mortgage lending, equipment leasing, annuity and mutual fund sales, and trust and investment management services. AmSouth also offers a complete line of banking products and services at its web site, www.amsouth.com.