Apple to Advertise iPhone during Academy Awards

[MacRumors]

Macworld reports that Apple will be featuring a teaser advertisement for the iPhone during the Academy Awards (Oscars) this Sunday.

Macworld was unable to get any further details about the ad but "the new ad was described as being made for the Oscars".

The 79th Academy Awards airs this Sunday at 8 pm Eastern. Apple introduced the iPhone at Macworld San Francisco and is not expected to be shipping until June 2007.

 

[roland.g]

We never get this much news on a Friday. Can't wait to see the ad.

 

[Digitalclips]

Well now I will watch them.

 

[zelmo]

I would have thought the TV would be the more obvious choice for this broadcast.
Still, any time Apple advertises any product is a good thing. Get people into the stores to browse...and buy.

 

[echeck]

Well now I will watch them.

I don't think an iPhone ad is enough to make me suffer through that.

I'm sure the ad will be online somewhere shortly after its airing.

But it's good that Apple's pushing it already, and I'm sure the ad will be great.

 

[BoyBach]

Yeah, straight after the 'The Beatles on iTunes' advert.

 

[aricher]

I always Tivo the awards and FF to the good parts. Looks like this advert will be one of those.

 

[jonharris200]

Interested to hear perspectives from people trained in marketing about this.

Seems odd to advertise a product several months before release. Free PR is one thing, a prime-time gold slot is another. And then there's Apple.

Does this imply an earlier release date than June (US) I wonder? Like much earlier, say April...? Or is it just a strategy of 'filling in the gaps' until June?

Or ... is it a fake story from Apple intended to expose a 'source'?

 

[thegoldenmackid]

bring Back 1984

 

[brucku]

i'd like to see a 1984 style ad, destroying keypads. (jk)

Actually i'd like to see a flushed out teaser add for the (this is just the begining) slogan we saw in January. Get us all hyped for the year.

From a marketing perspective, product buzz is important. Particularly if you feel the market may have adoption worries if your technology is too new. This type of an approach could shorten the public adoption time by starting buzz early.

Think business man that might need to hear and think about switching to a new touch screen phonea few months before he actually switches.

(thats just my 2 cents, as a marketing major)

 

[0007776]

Or ... is it a fake story from Apple intended to expose a 'source'?

i think that it is a fake story from someone who will benefit from more people watching the academy awards.

 

[WillGonz]

Are these the same clowns who said that there will be an ad during the Super Bowl?

 

[Lepton]

I always Tivo the awards and FF to the good parts. Looks like this advert will be one of those.

Bingo. It's the only way to see these live award shows. I hope there is an ad - this will be fun!

 

[Peace]

Are these the same clowns who said that there will be an ad during the Super Bowl?

NO..It's MacWorld.com.

Personally I think the commercial is a go because Apple and Cisco now share the iPhone name and Apple wants to make sure people know what the REAL iPhone is.

 

[justflie]

NO..It's MacWorld.com.

Personally I think the commercial is a go because Apple and Cisco now share the iPhone name and Apple wants to make sure people know what the REAL iPhone is.

Agreed. Now that they've finally secured their right to call it iPhone, I would expect some advertisements to begin making their rounds. I also expect 3G to be in the first gen iPhone. Call me crazy, but I think that the specs Steve presented in January were just to whet our appetite. Apple knows that cell phones will get better as June approaches. It would be a little short-sighted of them to believe that the iPhone will have the same kind of hype (besides the hype for its UI which is amazing) come June without some improvements.

 

[Cult Follower]

I think TV would be a more likely candidate to recieve advertising, it fits the show better. I really don't think we'll see anything about the iPhone just yet. Or maybe it will be a Beatles catalog announcement!

 

[abrooks]

Are these the same clowns who said that there will be an ad during the Super Bowl?

I don't think Macworld.com puts its ass on the line for unconfirmed rumours, you can bet this is going to happen.

 

[p0intblank]

Wow, I didn't see this coming! I can't wait to see the ad. Any ad for the iPhone is sure to be a big one.

 

[PetMac]

Yeah, straight after the 'The Beatles on iTunes' advert.

Maybe listening to the Beatles on an iPhone, now avialable on iTunes.

 

[chubad]

A perfect show for the iPhone. Hollywoods big night. Tie in to the stars and the big money crowd. Not to mention the huge international audience.

 

[Rocketman]

Interested to hear perspectives from people trained in marketing about this.

Seems odd to advertise a product several months before release. Free PR is one thing, a prime-time gold slot is another. And then there's Apple.

Does this imply an earlier release date than June (US) I wonder? Like much earlier, say April...? Or is it just a strategy of 'filling in the gaps' until June?

Or ... is it a fake story from Apple intended to expose a 'source'?

Phones involve long-term contracts. By pre-announcing the Apple Phone (iPhone/ATN) people inclined to be bleeding edge adopters of the product can plan accordingly with plan renewals and such.

Also being a relatively high price point phone, a portion of their target market has to save and/or budget.

I do believe an ad in this venue is the middle of the target market for a "style and fashion product".

Remember, phone is only one application on this multi-function device.

Rocketman

 

[jonharris200]

Thanks, Rocketman. I'd forgotten the long(-er?) phone contracts people have in the States. Saving up... good point too.

 

[sinisterdesign]

i think it's too early to advertise something that's not due to hit stores for another few months. people forget products if they can't run out & buy them in a short timeframe.

UNLESS the iPhone is already done & they're going to throw them in those gift bags that they give to celebrities at events like this. or did they do away w/ those b/c of tax implications? i forget. but the iPhone would be a perfect fit for something like that. get it in the hands of celebs, stun the tech crowd by bringing it out months early & then advertise it the same night.

pipedream, i know...but a good one

 

[Doctor Q]

It seems a little soon for iPhone ads, but I guess Apple needs to keep them in people's thoughts so nobody wanders off to buy something lesser from a competing phone provider before iPhones are shipping.

iPhones would be perfect for those gift bags they give Oscar presenters. The goodie bags are supposedly worth about $75,000 this year (presenters must get a nasty tax bill). So why not throw in a coupon for a first-day-release iPhone? That's the kind of cool toy celebrities will like having (even if they can't figure out how to use it), and the publicity will be great for Apple.

 

[Frisco]

I think it is a great place for a commercial, but I also hope they have some nice Apple TV commercials in the near future.

I am postponing signing a new cell contract, until after the iPhone comes out.