Who is the comedian in the new Verizon commercial?
A deeper look at the face behind the campaign
(By Carmichael Phillip)
The commercial in question
In spring 2025, Verizon rolled out a new TV spot promoting its “3-year price lock” and “free phone on any plan” offer. The ad features a familiar face seated casually in what appears to be a living-room or dressing-room setting, discussing his life, his aversion to commitment, and then pivoting to how Verizon’s stable pricing plan is something he can commit to. According to ad-tracker listings, the actor-comedian starring in that campaign is Pete Davidson.
For instance, one listing on iSpot identifies the creative as “Verizon TV Spot, ‘Stability’ Featuring Pete Davidson”.
Another press article states: “The telco brand enlisted the actor and comedian for two spots …”
So, if you’ve seen the commercial and wondered who the comedian is — it’s clearly Pete Davidson (at least according to available public records).
Who is Pete Davidson?
Here’s a quick background on Pete Davidson to contextualize his appearance in the Verizon campaign:
Pete Davidson is an American comedian and actor who gained major visibility as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL) starting in 2014.
His comedy often draws on personal life experiences, his upbringing, mental-health challenges, and relationships — making his persona a blend of self-deprecating, direct, and off-beat humour.
For a brand like Verizon to pick him suggests they wanted someone who feels culturally relevant, perhaps younger-skewing, and able to bring a comedic authenticity to a promotional message about “commitment” (which is ironically an area Davidson has publicly joked about).
In the listed Verizon spot titled “Stability” (from April 2025) he is shown, per the ad description: “Pete Davidson talks about how crazy his life can be, so when he’s able to find stability, he holds on to it for as long as he can.”
Why this casting makes sense
Brands don’t pick celebrity spokespeople at random — there are strategic reasons behind choosing a particular actor or comedian. Here’s why Pete Davidson is an interesting fit for Verizon:
Messaging fit – The ad’s theme is commitment (e.g., “3-year price lock”, “free phone on any plan”). Pete Davidson’s public persona often includes jokes about fear of commitment or irreverence toward “settling down”. That makes the casting ironically compatible — the audience knows his comedic brand and the ad flips it: “Even I can commit…to Verizon.”
Audience targeting – Davidson’s core fan base is younger (millennials, Gen Z), many of whom may be juggling multiple phones, plans, uncertain job situations or looking for value/clear-cut offers. Verizon positioning a stable plan may appeal to that demographic.
Cultural relevancy – Using a current comedian (rather than a purely “corporate” actor) gives the ad an informal, friendly tone rather than a stilted “brand always” aesthetic. It helps the campaign feel less like a dry telecom pitch and more like a slice of relatable life.
Publicity value – Davidson’s celebrity status adds buzz (media coverage, social commentary) in ways a lesser-known actor might not. Indeed, publications like Adweek covered the casting.
What the ad says (and doesn’t say)
Let’s break down what we know from the listing and commentary, and also note what might still be ambiguous:
What we know:
The creative agency behind the campaign is Ogilvy (New York).
The ad features Pete Davidson and is positioned around Verizon’s 3-year price-lock guarantee for phone plans and/or home network plans.
The tone is comedic: Davidson makes remarks like “I’m not really big into committing to things” (paraphrased) in the spot.
What we don’t fully know (or what remains ambiguous):
While Davidson is named in the ad listing, the “new Verizon commercial” label could refer to multiple spots across 2025 — including ones featuring other celebrities (for example, Lindsay Lohan is credited in a Verizon ad later in July 2025).
The exact script details beyond what the public description provides are limited. For instance, some viewers on Reddit debated what Davidson says in the ad (“I’m a scared” vs. “I’m a skid”).
We don’t have publicly confirmed compensation details or how many variations of the commercial run (e.g., regional edits, streaming vs. linear).
It’s unclear whether Davidson served merely as a face in the commercial or if he had any creative input or endorsement beyond the on-camera role.
How viewers responded & what it means
User responses can offer insight into how the ad is landing and how the comedian-casting interacts with audience perceptions:
On Reddit, a thread titled “Pete in a Verizon commercial” features several comments noting that viewers recognized Davidson and had mixed reactions — some amused, some critical, some puzzled by his delivery:
“Just had this pop up … I legit thought it was a bit from his character … until the Verizon logo popped!”
Another comment: “Pete is saying ‘I’m scared’ pronounced with a New York accent so it sounds like ‘I’m a scayed’.”
The fact that viewers are debating what he says suggests the ad may ride on a style of delivery tied to his comedic persona — accent, cadence, casual tone — for better or worse.
Media coverage (Adweek, etc.) indicates the campaign is being taken seriously from a brand perspective — Verizon touting the price-lock guarantee as “serious” compared to previous light-hearted telecom commercials.
What this means for the brand / the comedian:
For Verizon: Choosing Davidson signals an attempt to be culturally current and maybe to appeal to a younger, more skeptical consumer who wants “value + personality” rather than just “telecom pitch.”
For Davidson: This commercial adds to his portfolio of high-visibility corporate campaigns, potentially increasing his reach beyond stand-up/TV roles and aligning him with a major national brand. It may also feed into his comedic persona: “I hate commitments, but here I am committing to a plan.”
For audience perception: The casting may garner attention (positive or negative). Some viewers will appreciate the humour and self-deprecation; others may feel the tone is off or not resonating (as evidenced in the Reddit commentary). How well the ad nets out will depend on whether viewers feel the value message holds up beyond the comedy.
So, to answer the question: who is the comedian in the new Verizon commercial?
In short: the comedian is Pete Davidson. Based on publicly available listings and commentary, the advertiser — Verizon — enlisted Davidson to front its 2025 campaign promoting a 3-year price-lock guarantee and free-phone offer. The ad plays on his comedic identity (commitment-phobic, irreverent) and frames the offer as something he can actually commit to.
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