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T-Mobile mocks Verizon by getting Ariana Grande thrown out of car

Technically Incorrect: A new ad debuting on Monday evening shows T-Mobile continuing its laughter at Verizon limiting data.

Chris Matyszczyk
2 min read

Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.


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When your friend tells you to just get out of her car.

T-Mobile/ YouTube screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET

I worry that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have used cell phone carriers as their role models.

Hardly a week goes by without one carrier or other declaring that their rival is a stinking cesspool of astounding incompetence.

The latest example comes from T-Mobile. During prime time on Monday night, it's debuting a new TV ad in which it again reminds customers that Verizon limits data.

Just a few weeks ago, it released an ad with a similar theme featuring a jealous Nicki Minaj. Now, it's Ariana Grande's turn.

She's not jealous. She's appalled. Here she is riding along with a friend who's a Verizon customer. Suddenly, the friend tells her she has to get out. In the middle of nowhere.

Why would the friend do that? Well, Verizon caps her data and she needs GPS. So one of them has to go. It's Grande.

Of course, this is an allegory.

Kids, you'd hate to have to choose between GPS and music, wouldn't you? So buy T-Mobile.


No one would kick the real Grande out of her car.

After all, the logical thing to do for the friend would have been to ask Grande to use her own, no doubt very fine T-Mobile service to access Google Maps.

But advertising isn't about logic. It's about emotions.

So we see poor Grande deserted in the desert, all dressed up and only able to go to more middle of nowhere.

Verizon declined to comment on this latest combative foray.

Meanwhile, shy and reserved T-Mobile CEO John Legere on Monday tweeted his own version of this ad.

Yes, no surprise, he's in it.