If MTV says it’s cool, it must be. That’s what Verizon is counting on when its opens its Verizon Experience store on Saturday at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax. The grand opening of the store, which is only the second location in the country, will include appearances by MTV VJ Stephen Colletti, as well as members of MTV’s reality show “Dance Life,” which features Jennifer Lopez.
The marketing behind the store, which has been compared to Apple’s popular interactive stores, spells out who the company is going after, said Verizon spokeswoman Christy Reap. The gadgets in the store are targeting a younger demographic, she said, but the location of the store is part of Verizon’s overall campaign to penetrate the Washington market.
“Obviously the Northern Virginia market is very important for us,” Reap said. Verizon has quickly snapped up franchise rights in the area over the past year and now has market share in much of Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland. The store will give the brand a tangible presence in the region, she said. “We want the public to be able to come in and see it and hopefully be able to sell them on the service.”
