Why the long face, Verizon? Cheer up, it’s your 25th birthday!
Quarter of a century is a pretty important achievement that deserves at least one cell tower-shaped cake with 5G candles on it, but Verizon‘s anniversary announcement feels more like a polite golf clap than a bold celebration. It’s not that the substance isn’t there; it’s that the tone reads like it was ghostwritten by someone who is not much into large parties.
“For 25 years, Verizon has been leading with technology and innovation for our customers and helped shape the way Americans connect every day”, the text starts, and I’m already bored. Then the press release goes to say: “Today, Verizon is marking our 25th anniversary by celebrating our past and looking to the future: building smarter networks, supporting communities and equipping the next generation”.
Anyway, then we have a quote from the CEO:
For 25 years, our purpose has been rooted in our name: Veritas, delivering the truth and reliability that our customers trust, and Horizon, always looking forward. This is why we’ve built the nation’s most reliable 5G network. But it’s the people behind it – our V Team – who give us our heart. As we celebrate our past, our focus is firmly on the future: extending our leadership with intelligent solutions to connect every home and business to the possibilities of tomorrow.
– Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon, 2025
There’s a “25 years of firsts” section that feels like it’s quietly checking off bullet points instead of relishing the moment. Flip phones to 5G is a cultural shift, not a footnote. And while referencing the iconic “Can you hear me now?” campaign is a nice touch, it deserves more than a passive reminder – it was a catchphrase for so many Americans.
Finally, we get to know that Verizon is “redefining the customer experience” with “a suite of AI-powered enhancements” that include the “Customer Champion” team, the “new 24/7 live chat support” and a “redesigned My Verizon app” that uses AI.
Whatever you think of Verizon, nobody can’t deny that it is a company that helped shape the modern mobile era. Yet the announcement lands with low energy. A quarter-century of pioneering wireless tech, rolling out 4G and 5G before most of us even knew what those meant, and the most exciting part is… a gentle nod to AI support chat? Where’s the pulse?
A company like Verizon should be really loud, not whispering with eyes on the floor. It’s been 25 years of shaping how America connects – surely, that deserves a little more spark.
