Google’s new “Pixel” smartphone is off to a fast marketing start with $3.2 million in television ads in two days since it announced the upcoming launch.
Ad executives expect Google to spend hundreds of millions more to keep up with rivals Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc, Reuters reported.
While Google’s brand is known around the world and its Android operating system powers most of the world’s smartphones, including Samsung’s, it is not known as a consumer goods maker. It has made forays, such as the Chromecast streaming player, but not of this size.
“This is the first time they are in the position of selling themselves to people, as opposed to selling themselves to brands,” said Rachel Pasqua, practice lead, connected life at MEC Global, a New York-based advertising agency.
Alphabet Inc’s Google declined to discuss how much it will spend advertising the Pixel, but Google Vice President for Product Management Mario Queiroz said it was a “very significant marketing campaign”.
He said the tech giant may buy ads during Thanksgiving football games. Such ads can cost around a million dollars, according to a media buyer, who wished to remain anonymous.
“Wireless carrier Verizon Communications Inc, which has a US exclusive on the Pixel, will make a significant investment of its own in TV, digital marketing and social media, from around the phone’s October 20 launch through the holiday season,” said Jeff Dietel, vice president of device marketing at Verizon.
Over the two days of the Google launch, when the company could be expected to spend heavily, Apple spent $2.45 million and Samsung spent $1.4 million, according to iSpot.tv, showing a competitive start for the Pixel.
The phone is not likely to make an official entry into the Iranian market, adding yet another American brand that will have no official sales network in the Islamic Republic.
According to ITIran, a local technology site, the Pixel phone will be imported via gray import methods, but not through any official company.
An Iranian company, Farnet.ir contacted Google and was informed that the phone will not be available for sale in Iran.
They also said that if they have relatives in the US or other countries where the phone is sold, have them register the phones and bring the phones to their family in Iran. The phones are currently only officially available for sale in the US, England, Australia, Canada and Germany.
American companies are still barred from doing business in Iran, as non-nuclear US sanctions block their business from entering the American market, giving it to Chinese and South Korean phone makers.
