Sprint Rebukes DirecTV in New Full-Page Ad
Our Take:
Sprint is not happy with competitor DirecTV, and it’s not afraid to spend money on very explicit ads to show it. Both parties have tried to lure away customers on the heels of the AT&T/DirecTV merger. Sprint offered DirecTV customers a year of free service if they switch their phone service to Sprint. And DirecTV immediately offered a TV/wireless combo post-merger. But Sprint is angry because it was recently denied ad space on DirecTV that effectively attempts to lure customers away from the combined company. As this Ad Age article notes, the rejection of ad time is hardly surprising. Where Sprint did manage to buy an ad was in the New York Times, USA Today, Las Vegas Review Journal and Dallas Morning News. The ad even features a copy of the letter from Sprint CEO Kevin Crull sent to AT&T leadership that calls out what he thinks is not in the spirit of fair market competition.
Sprint this morning is shocked, shocked! that DirecTV wouldn’t sell it ad time to undermine new DirecTV and AT&T bundles. Sprint last month began a promotion offering DirecTV customers a year of free service if they switch their phone service to the carrier.
