T-Mobile returns to Super Bowl with commercial starring Anthony Anderson
T-Mobile confirmed it’s returning to the Super Bowl late Friday, marking the seventh consecutive appearance for the wireless provider.
The “un-carrier,” as it markets itself, is running a 60-second commercial in the fourth quarter featuring “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson and his real-life mother, Doris Hancox. The spot, created by Panay Films, shows Hancox using T-Mobile’s 5G network in places that range from the aquarium to the club.
T-Mobile became the first carrier to roll out a nationwide high-powered 5G network in 2019 and the company is aiming to get that message across to millions of viewers on Sunday. T-Mobile’s Super Bowl effort will also mix in social media, as the telecom provider says it will give away a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G phone for every five minutes that passes for the entirety of the game. Last year, T-Mobile ran a commercial in each quarter during the Super Bowl to promote a generous rewards program that its customers had not taken much advantage of.
Rival Verizon is also airing a Super Bowl ad, but its commercial is expected to have a more somber tone. Both it and AT&T offer 5G, but only in select cities.
Meanwhile, Sprint confirmed Friday that it is not returning to the Big Game after making four consecutive appearances. The telecom carrier was acquired by T-Mobile last year in a $26 billion deal, though the acquisition has yet to receive approval from lawmakers. If approved, however, T-Mobile could become a formidable foe against Verizon and AT&T in the forthcoming battle of 5G dominance.
