There’s a map for that: New Verizon ad one-ups AT&T

Forget "Can you hear me now?" Welcome in Verizon's new ad: "There's a map for that."
Image Credit: YouTube/Google Video

Though already the owners of an advertising campaign that became a catchphrase – can you hear me now? – Verizon has decided to go after AT&T’s. In a spot that ran during Monday Night Football on ESPN, Verizon took direct aim at the ubiquitous “there’s an app for that” iPhone ads, poking holes in AT&T’s 3G wireless network coverage. The claim, that Verizon offers five times the 3G coverage as AT&T, is supported by red and blue coverage maps. Verizon’s map shows a US overlaid with red coverage, with much of the South and Great Plains notably blanketed. AT&T’s coverage is blue, and noticeably more threadbare. (Though after last election season, wouldn’t blue have been a better choice for the home team?) The ad comes as a few notable chinks have formed in the AT&Ts iPhone’s armor. Single-carrier iPhone exclusivity is ending in Canada and Britain. Apple is likely seeing dollar signs as it considers dropping AT&T’s US exclusivity. Verizon and Google are teaming up. And let’s not forget the iPhone MMS update fiasco (that AT&T says was a great success.) Verizon is no-doubt looking to capitalize on all of these, hoping that even though it doesn’t have the handset from Cupertino, it can hook would-be iPhone buyers on more reliable coverage.

A copy of the ad, available in 720p HD, is embedded below.  Watch it and let me know what you think in the comments.

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