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

David Swan
Tuesday, 04 August 2009 04:17

Business IT - Technology

The infamous "Get a Mac" television spots, which also star John Hodgman as the unfortunate “PC”, also had such an impact that they forced Microsoft to hit back with an ad campaign of its own. This came last year in the form of its "I'm a PC" campaign, which featured Pharell Williams, among others. This campaign wasn't cheap, coming in at around $300 million, and was a clear indication that Apple's "Get a Mac" ads were having a direct affect on its biggest competitor, forcing it to defend itself accordingly.

But how much has all that advertising cost Apple? Apple’s total advertising budget for 2008 came to $486 million. This number has been found subtly embedded in Apple’s 2008 10-K filing on page 62, which is an annual business report that American companies undertake. The relevant info can be found under “Significant Accounting Policies.”

Apple's advertising therefore came to about 13 percent of its $3.8 billion budget. This compares to $1.2 billion spent on advertising from Microsoft in the 2008 fiscal year, but this includes its Xbox, Office, and other divisions, area in which Apple isn't a direct competitior.

There remains little doubt that Apple is the brand that customers want to be a part of, however for how long this remains is yet to be seen.