telecom

Verizon Fios Soothes Savage McEnroe Beast

So much for that legendary temper. In a new ad for Fios by Verizon, John McEnroe is as sweet as a puppy -- even when complaining that a connection is in, even when a device tells him it's out. 

The ad specifically touts the Fios Mobile App and its SmartCam feature, which allows technicians to access a smartphone’s camera to see the problem in front of them. In the ad, McEnroe is on the phone complaining about the in/out discrepancy (much as he did during his legendary tennis career), before a technician solves it. Everything is hunky dory until the technician becomes a little too familiar with the famous face on the other end of the line, calling him “Mac.”

“Who better to represent a Fios customer than the uncompromising tennis champion, John McEnroe?,” Verizon representative Raymond McConville tells Marketing Daily. “He’s tech-savvy, as evidenced by the fact that he pioneered the original computer targeting technology for tennis, which is used to fix errors with line-calling and to make calls more consistent in professional tennis.”

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Not only that, but McEnroe is a Fios customer and “brand loyalist,” according to McConville. Despite having retired more than 20 years ago, McEnroe has managed to remain in the public eye as a tennis commentator and on the senior circuit. 

“McEnroe’s well-known persona has also led to his appearance in TV shows, movies and commercials for popular brands,” McConville says. “With the US Open approaching, his relevancy will only be heightened.”

The ad, which broke earlier this week, will be airing this month on major networks where Fios is available.

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