A new high — or rather a new low — for the Uncarrier
One of the few things T-Mobile is known for recently is using ... unconventional advertising methods. The nation's fourth-place carrier, led by CEO John Legere, is taking things one step further today with a satirical press release aimed directly at AT&T. Released strategically after AT&T's earnings report today, the fake press release pokes fun at AT&T's recently-announced promotion to pay customers $450 to switch back from T-Mobile. Written in completely non-traditional wording for a professional press release, it even goes so far as to include fake quotes from AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega:
“Call it an awakening,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility, “but I felt it was time to really stir things up and put the customer first for a change. And by “customer” I’m referring to our former customers who switch to T-Mobile, because our current customers don’t really qualify.” De la Vega said that the new T-Mobile switching offer was custom designed to entice its millions of contract customers to go ahead and give T-Mobile a try. “If for any reason you don’t love T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network, which is now faster than ours, we’ll actually pay you up to $450 to come back to AT&T, I kid you not.”
The quote is followed by an admission, "Ok, De La Vega didn’t actually say that, but he might as well have." at the end. Some may see this as light-hearted poking fun at an opponent — something Legere loves to do on-stage and online — but this may just go a step too far. Legere himself follows up with a real quote in reaction to the fake one, acting flabbergasted that the CEO of AT&T would make such a revealing statement.
The press release finishes up with a full explanation of the fact that AT&T's $450 offer is so generous and matches up perfectly with its offering to pay off your ETF, giving you the chance to try T-Mobile "risk-free." Far after the press release itself ends, bold print reads, "Editor’s Note: The preceding mock press release was written with tongue firmly planted in cheek." Really, you don't say?
T-Mobile has also released a new advertisement that sums up the point much more elegantly with big bold letters. You can catch that after the break.
Source: T-Mobile
