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Facebook confirms Instagram will have ads

Brace yourselves, it looks like advertisements are coming to Instagram. Since its release in late 2010, the popular photo sharing service has managed to remain ad-free. But once Facebook took over the reigns earlier this year in its legendary $1 billion buyout, speculation has been rampant that this would change, and Facebook just confirmed it...

Is Samsung now king of cool? Galaxy S III ad tops iPhone 5 promo

Another arena has opened for Apple and Samsung to compete for the crown of 'most cool': advertising. For some time, the iPhone maker has had the ad market sewn up, producing luscious videos of products while creating family-friendly spots so sweet they make your teeth hurt. However, it appears the South Korea-based Samsung is giving Apple a run for the money, its Galaxy S III spot being named the most popular tech ad in 2012.

Apple's promo video of the iPhone 5 starring Jony Ive & Co. didn't even break into the Top 5, the seven-minute ad reaching #6 with 18.4 million views on YouTube and elsewhere. The #1 Galaxy S III ad takes Apple to task as a brand past its prime, drew 71.8 million views...

Analyst breaks down Samsung’s marketing expenses

"Just chalk it up to marketing." That's how a lot of pundits have explained Apple's success over the years, indicating that the company devotes a lot of its resources to, and greatly depends on, marketing to sell products.

But according to a new report from Asymco analyst Horace Dediu, Apple spends far less on marketing than the competition does. In fact, when it comes to these kinds of expenses, Samsung spends more than anyone...

New Apple magazine ads spotlight iPad mini and Newsstand

It seems like Apple's been on a bit of a marketing blitz over the past few months. We've seen new iPhone and iPad mini commercials, a new Best Buy spot, and even animated online ads. And now they've moved on to print.

Some new Apple ads have been discovered running in popular magazines like Time and The New Yorker that feature the iPad mini, illustrating it as a substitute for traditional magazines thanks to its size and Newsstand...

Apple airs two new iPhone 5 ads, ‘Turkey’ and ‘Orchestra’

With the holidays rapidly approaching, it's no surprise that Apple has started to ramp up marketing for its iOS products. Yesterday, new iPod ads started popping up around the web. And tonight, two new iPhone 5 commercials began airing on television: 'Turkey' and 'Orchestra.' As always, we have both of the spots for you after the break...

Apple embedding the exploding iPod ad online

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgfJn8FsSKg

This reminds us of Apple's famously interactive version of the Mac vs. PC campaign spotted at the top of NYTimes.com and other big media web properties. This time around, Apple has taken its nicely done dancing commercial for the new iPods and embedded it on various places online, like the indie music review site Pitchfork that in the past ran Apple's custom iPod touch page-topper ad.

It's interesting because the publication draws hipster audience so it's clear who Apple's target is. By the way, turn down the volume before hitting the Play button. Don't you just live how the little things 'explode' out of the box?

Apple owns 37 percent of the fragmented mobile ad market

Apple continues to lead mobile advertising, despite Samsung's strength in handset sales, a new report out Monday indicates. Apple accounted for 37 percent of mobile ads while Samsung had 24 percent. The rest of the mobile pack were left in the two firms' dust. Cupertino's mobile ad lead over Samsung actually grew by three percent during the third quarter, with a little help from the iPhone 5, which was released at the end of the third quarter, according to Adfonic's AdMetrics report...

New in iOS 6.1: Reset Advertising Identifier

With the release of iOS 6, Apple replaced its controversial unique device identifier system (or UDID) with the Advertising Identifier. It's a non-permanent, non-personal, device identifier, that advertising networks use to track your behavior.

Since its introduction, users who don't like targeted advertisements have had the ability to limit ad tracking via a toggle in the Settings application. And in iOS 6.1, users will gain the ability to reset their Advertising Identifier as well...

Apple airs two new iPad mini ads highlighting iPhoto and iBooks apps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdmkhzGD-ZA

Apple Sunday afternoon posted a pair of television commercials for the iPad mini. Unlike the inaugural ad which focuses on the GarageBand app, these new clips highlight Apple's own iPhoto and iBooks apps for the tablet, the former provided as a $5 download. Using the effective side-by-side format, the first commercial, named Photos and see above, takes us through the various photo management and editing capabilities of the iPhoto app.

The other is called Books and shows off various iBooks. As you'd expect, both apps behave exactly like on full-sized iPads. The ads are available as QuickTime streams from Apple's home page and via Apple's YouTube channel. I've included the Books commercial right after the break...

Fan-made ad teaches Microsoft how to advertise the Surface against the iPad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4d5xkULjc50

Instead of a boring teaser, the weird Movement commercial, a meaningless self-made drop test clip, cheesy making-of footage and a whole bunch of other all too easily forgettable videos, maybe Microsoft should have employed the talent of Forest Gibson? The guy clearly has a better idea of how to position Microsoft's Surface tablet against the iPad juggernaut...

Microsoft’s Surface is here, high-tech ad proclaims

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yp49rApQt8

Look what just surfaced on Microsoft Surface team's YouTube channel. This television commercial could be equally confusing to those who deemed the previous Movement ad too childish to begin with and perhaps over-the-top. One thing is certain: Microsoft is determined to make as much noise as possible about this tablet. The company today officially launched Windows 8 and will begin selling the Surface on Friday.

Apple the same day is scheduled to put its iPad mini on sale across 34 countries worldwide. Armchair estimates peg advertising expenditure for Windows 8 and Surface launches anywhere in the ballpark of $1-$2 billion.  I've also included a new making-of video for the Movement ad right below...

First iPad mini ad hits YouTube

Remember that cool TV spot Apple played during its media event yesterday? The one that featured a full-sized iPad and an iPad mini playing a duet in piano apps? Well it hit YouTube just a little bit ago, and is now available for your viewing pleasure...