What’s the only thing more annoying than a non-Apple company using Apple’s trademark diminutive “i”? Companies thinking they’ll really stick it to Apple by using it to mock them. The latest marketing school dropout contestant: Verizon’s “iDoesn’t” campaign.

Verizon’s got a new anti-iPhone tagline: “If the iDoesn’t, What Does?” It’s part of a new marketing ploy in which they plan to spell out the iPhone’s weaknesses, only they’re calling it the “iDevice” for some reason I don’t really understand—people still know you’re

talking about the iPhone, Verizon, so what’s the point? SanDisk did the same thing a couple years ago, trying to get people to buy their Sansa line of PMPs over the iPod, and ran a campaign called “iSheep.” It blew, and SanDisk wisely cut the ads. It’s a dumb idea, Big V: Old, unoriginal, and without perspective.

Anyway, there are certainly flaws with the iPhone, and we’re sure Verizon will mention its superior network about a bazillion more times, but you know what the best argument would be? ACTUAL COMPETITIVE PHONES. Once Verizon’s got thePalm Pre, HTC Hero and Motorola Droid, then you can talk some smartphone trash. Until then, iShut iIt.

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