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November 10, 2008 8:39 AM PST

T-Mobile plans Android phone ad onslaught

by Stephen Shankland
HTC Dream T-Mobile G1, Apple Apple iPhone

HTC's Dream, aka the T-Mobile G1, next to an Apple iPhone

Updated 4:28 p.m. PST to reflect that it's T-mobile's ad campaign, with no Google involvement.

T-Mobile plans to flood the market with a billion ads in two days for its G1 Android phone, with AOL's Platform-A network delivering the advertisements, according to Advertising Age.

Platform-A President Lynda Clarizio estimated the campaign will reach 81 million people when it runs next week, according to the article, which quoted an unnamed source as saying the ad campaign will cost about $1.5 million.

"The goal for T-Mobile was to reach as many people as possible in a short period of time," AdAge quoted Clazario as saying.

Google said the campaign is T-Mobile's and it's uninvolved in the marketing effort.

The T-Mobile G1, a version of an HTC phone called the Dream, is the first phone to use Google's Android operating system. The phone went on sale October 22, but future Android phones are expected in 2009 from other companies including Motorola, Kyocera, Samsun, and LG Electronics.

Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank.
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by ibeetle November 10, 2008 9:25 AM PST
I think Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld are available for ads.

The comments from T-Mobile and Google reminded me of the comments from Creative when they said they would bury the iPod. They would out spend Apple in advertising 3 to 1 and wipe the iPod off the face of the earth.
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by workiscool November 10, 2008 9:41 AM PST
I hope they change the messaging from their TV spots. They show people searching then end with "The G1 now with Google." The iphone and every other smartphone can have google search? That's not really a value prop IMO.

This tells me two things: 1. They needed to get ads out fast, the creatives and ad folks didn't have enough time (imagine that?!) to wrap their heads around the tech. 2. There really is no clear value prop for android that the mass market will understand vs blackberry, Mac, palm, etc.

They better come up with something before they release ads.
Reply to this comment
by workiscool November 10, 2008 9:42 AM PST
I hope they change the messaging from their TV spots. They show people searching then end with "The G1 now with Google." The iphone and every other smartphone can have google search? That's not really a value prop IMO.

This tells me two things: 1. They needed to get ads out fast, the creatives and ad folks didn't have enough time (imagine that?!) to wrap their heads around the tech. 2. There really is no clear value prop for android that the mass market will understand vs blackberry, Mac, palm, etc.

They better come up with something before they release ads.
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by gsmiller88 November 10, 2008 11:32 AM PST
Google & TMobile have an uphill battle ahead of them, MacRumors is reporting that the iPhone had the #1 sales spot in Q3, ahead of the Motorola Razr.
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by iBuzz November 10, 2008 3:08 PM PST
Good luck.

But from what I've seen, the graphics and interaction on the G1 are nowhere near as polished and smooth as on the iPhone. It's great for the geek crowd who doesn't care about such things, but for the style-conscious, I just don't see why anyone would buy this yet.

It's amazing. Are graphics and interaction design really that difficult (especially with the iPhone already out -- you have a model of a phone that got it right)? Apparently these things are difficult because I still haven't seen anything from Google or RIM that gives Apple a run for their money in this department. Any guesses as to whether Microsoft will get it right with WinMo 7? Is Apple the only company that hires people who get this stuff? It baffles the mind.
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