"Can you hear me now?" That was the video commercial catch-phrase that made Verizon famous for quite a few years. For those who don't remember, actor Paul Marcarelli would show up in a strange and random area asking that question. The concept of the ad was brilliant and was meant to showcase how much more reliable Verizon's network was than any of their competitors. It was a simple and effective way to cement Verizon's reputation in the public consciousness.
The ad campaign worked so well, it has left a lasting impression that Verizon has the best network, regardless of whether that is true anymore. Marcarelli is back, but this time he is pitching for a different team. Apparently Sprint is paying him to claim that Sprint's network reliability is within 1% of Verizon's across the nation. Of course, he is just a paid spokesperson, so there's not guarantee what he is saying is completely accurate. Despite that, it could be an effective ad strategy for Sprint to bring him out of "retirement" for their team. What do you folks think?
