Verizon gets 'Silicon Valley' star to drop the mic on rivals
Commentary: In a new ad, Thomas Middleditch drops more than one mic because, you see, there are many ways Verizon's unlimited plan is better.
Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.
He looks excited. He's paid to be.
You're already excited by the news that Verizon is relaunching its unlimited plan.
You know, the one that gave you what you wanted until Verizon decided that it wasn't what it wanted. Revenue-wise, you understand.
To persuade you that this plan is unparalleled in the unlimited world, Verizon didn't hire its old "Can You Hear Me Now?" spokesman Paul Marcarelli, who now shills for Sprint.
Instead, here's Thomas Middleditch. He plays Richard Hendricks, CEO of Pied Piper, in the HBO series "Silicon Valley."
Should you watch this very witty show, you'll know that Hendricks is to salesmanship what Michael Flynn is to keeping a government job.
Yet in an ad that launched Monday night, here he is making the big announcement to what looks like a random collection of beautiful Verizon customers in a park.
Once he reveals the glad tidings, he drops the mic -- as if this is going to torture Verizon's rivals into shame and submission.
Naturally, we have to have some humor. So he has several microphones that he keeps dropping, as there are so many ways in which this unlimited offer is better than any other unlimited offer.
Some will surely be moved that Verizon is giving customers something they always wanted. Others will point out that very soon after Verizon's announcement, T-Mobile countered by making what it calls its unlimited plan even more unlimited.
Verizon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
There are surely no limits in the ways that carriers can compete with each other. This Verizon launch, however, feels a little rushed and reactive, as if the company had a sense it suddenly wasn't meeting customers' desires anymore.
However, as its network advantages appear to be shrinking, Verizon will have to focus far more on being nimble in addressing customers' needs. It's much easier these days to switch.
As Hendricks himself discovered on "Silicon Valley," business is a fickle beast.
CNET Magazine: Check out a sample of the stories in CNET's newsstand edition.
Virtual reality 101: CNET tells you everything you need to know about VR.