Big slice of the Apple: just how big is Apple's advertising budget?

David Swan
Tuesday, 04 August 2009 05:17

Business IT - Technology

Apple is the most successful brand in the world, according to an international online poll of marketers. Surely this isn't just due to its iPods and iPhones, but also its advertising. So exactly how much does Apple rely on advertising..?

According to Brandchannel's 2009 brandjunkie awards, Apple is the most inspiring brand worldwide, along with being the "most able to rebound from a crisis" and the company that "produced the most innovative and enticing packaging for its products". The results of the survey, in which over 4,000 members of the public voted on their favourite brands, can be viewed here.

Being the informed consumers that you are, you'll be aware that a company's image in the public mind comes largely from what they see in the media, whether it be a news report on television or direct advertising from the company. Apple hasn't had it easy of late, either, with Steve Jobs' health problems and an economic climate that hasn't been particularly kind to 'premium' brands. Yet, somehow Apple has remained, in the words of the respondents to the survey, "cool" and "successful".

It isn't hard to see where the money's gone. Apple's successful “Get a Mac” campaign has quietened down recently but featured star actor Justin Long, and was quite controversial in the way it belittled Microsoft's products, and was even described by Slate as "mean spirited" and "smug". That said, the campaign can't be described as being soft. The ubiquitous iPod ads have continued, too, and remain instantly recognizable for their simple white aesthetic and neat music.

So what else has Apple spent their money on, and exactly how much does the figure come to? Read on to find out.