Google is spending big on its marketing campaign for the Pixel and Pixel XL

By Christian de Looper Published October 7, 2016

google pixel advertising campaign phone hands on 9 — Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Google’s not taking it easy in its push to market the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones — according to recent reports, the company has already spent $3.2 million in TV ads since it announced the device, and some ad executives suggest that Google will spend hundreds of millions in an effort to keep up with the likes of Samsung and Apple.

The advertising budget makes sense for Google. The release of the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones puts the company in direct competition with Samsung and Apple, so Google needs to make a big push if it expects to make waves.

Recommended Videos

While Google has declined to offer specific numbers about its marketing campaign for the Pixel, it has said that it is running a “very significant marketing campaign,” according to a report from Reuters. Not only that, but the report states that the company may even buy ads during Thanksgiving football games, which can run into multiple millions of dollars.

It will be interesting to see how Google approaches its advertising campaign. So far, its ads are very similar to ads made by Apple, including things like white backdrops and slowly moving closeups of the phones.

Google isn’t the only one that will be spending the cash to try and promote the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. Verizon, which has a carrier exclusive on the phones, will invest its own money in TV ads, internet marketing, social media, and more. These campaigns will start when the phone launches on October 20, and will likely run through the holiday season, according to Jeff Dietel, vice president of device marketing at Verizon, in an interview with Fortune.

The Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones are also probably just the start for Google. It’s likely that if the company can get the Pixel off the ground, the Pixel 2 will be an even bigger deal.

Topics

Christian de Looper

Contributor

Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…

Mobile

5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL sitting upright outside.

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, you could be eyeing the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL. And there’s nothing wrong with that — it’s a great phone! It has Google’s Tensor G4 chip inside, along with 16GB RAM, up to 1TB storage, plenty of Google Gemini AI goodies, ample storage, and a fantastic triple lens camera system. Plus, it even comes in a gorgeous pink Rose Quartz color.

But as great as the Pixel 9 Pro XL is, there are also plenty of other excellent alternatives if you want to save some money or get even better features. Here are some phones to consider instead of the Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Google Pixel 9 Pro

Mobile

You really need to be careful with your Pixel 9 Pro Fold

A person opening the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

We've got good news and bad news. The good news? You can repair your Pixel 9 Pro Fold's screen if you happen to accidentally break it. The bad news is the cost won't be far off from what you paid for the phone in the first place, even if you decide to repair it yourself. The inner screen for the device is available from iFixit for a whopping $1,199 — quite the pretty penny when you consider the phone itself starts at $1,799.

It's a jump up from the cost to buy a replacement Pixel Fold screen, which was "only" $899. For what it costs to repair the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's screen, you could buy an iPhone 16 Pro Max. That's a lot of money for a DIY repair, a process that should (in theory) make repairs a lot less expensive. By the way, the $1,199 is just for the part itself — the full repair kit adds on just $8, bringing it to a total of $1,207. The kit includes all of the necessary tools, including a pair of tweezers, screwdriver, bits, spudger, picks, and more.

Mobile

Google Gemini is about to get a big upgrade for iPhone users

Person holding a phone with Google Gemini Live being shown.

Google Gemini, launched earlier this year for Android and iOS devices, has up until now only been available as a standalone app for Android users. In contrast, Apple users have had to access Google Gemini through the Google app. However, this situation is about to change.

As noted by 9to5Mac, at least one Apple user in the Philippines has been able to download the Google Gemini app from the App Store. However, it hasn’t appeared in other App Stores worldwide, including in the U.S.