New Verizon TV Commercial Slags AT&T’s Network

John Paczkowski:

Want five times more 3G coverage? There’s a map for that.

That’s the cheeky slogan of a new Verizon ad reportedly set to debut during tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game. Riffing on the tagline from Apple’s iPhone commercials, it essentially turns widespread complaints about the quality, coverage and speed of AT&T’s network into a Verizon marketing campaign–if it wasn’t that already. “Browse the Web and download music and apps, at 3G speed, in five times more places than the nation’s number two wireless carrier,” the ad suggests. “Before you pick a phone, pick a network.”

This is a brilliant ad campaign from Verizon. The “there’s a map for that” slogan is cute, but the “Before you pick a phone, pick a network” slogan sounds like common sense and works directly to Verizon’s advantage. They’re selling their strength (the network) instead of spinning their weakness (their lineup of phones). The ad works because it’s true.

★ Tuesday, 6 October 2009