Earlier today, news broke that Verizon is merging venerable tech and media brands Yahoo and AOL into a company called Oath. Since then, many people have been asking a simple question: “Why Oath?” Now, I can’t answer this question, any more than I could explain why Tribune Publishing became Tronc. But I’ve narrowed it down to two possibilities: Verizon is either launching a subtle viral ad campaign for the 2017 film adaptation of Dave Eggers’ The Circle, or it’s starting a heavy metal band. I’ll briefly lay out my case for both; believe what you will.
Oath: The Circle marketing campaign, or heavy metal band?
is a senior tech and policy editor focused on online platforms and free expression. Adi has covered virtual and augmented reality, the history of computing, and more for The Verge since 2011.
The case for a Circle marketing campaign
- Monosyllabic, technically-not-ominous name is perfect for a The Circle subsidiary
- Timely, as The Circle premieres in a mere three weeks
- #TakeTheOath isn’t quite as scary as The Circle’s slogans — like “SECRETS ARE LIES, SHARING IS CARING, PRIVACY IS THEFT” or “ALL THAT HAPPENS MUST BE KNOWN” — but pledging allegiance to a tech company is still pretty dystopian
- Avoids massive restructuring effort required for a rock band
The case for a band
- “Oath” sounds way too metal for a reboot of two aging tech companies
- German band The Oath broke up in 2014, leaving the moniker free
- AOL head Tim Armstrong easily replaceable by musician Tim Armstrong
- Have I mentioned that “Oath” is just an absurdly sinister company name?
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