Skip to main content

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

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.

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
Can a $500 Pixel phone beat a $1,000 iPhone in a camera test? I found out
iPhone 15 Pro (left) and Google Pixel 8a camera modules.

Right before Google I/O 2024, Google showed off the latest Pixel device, the Google Pixel 8a. This is the latest offering from the Pixel A-series, which is a more budget-friendly Pixel for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles of the flagship Pixel 8 or 8 Pro.

The Pixel 8a features a new design with more rounded corners and a matte-finish back. It packs Google’s latest silicon, the Tensor G3, but the camera hardware remains unchanged from its predecessor, the Pixel 7a.

Read more
My Google Pixel phone turned my photos into AI nightmares
Main title image for the Outtafocus column.

Artificial intelligence is the big tech trend of the year, and it’s being pushed as a major feature in our smartphones, laptops, and creative endeavors. One such way is through AI-powered photo editing.

I’ve been experimenting with Google’s AI in Google Photos, and although I don’t want to add to the scare stories about AI being a generally very bad thing for humanity, what I’ve been finding is often truly terrifying. Join me as I show you around the menagerie of nightmarish beasts Google's obviously unhinged AI has conjured up.
What’s so bad?

Read more
The Google app on your Android phone is getting a helpful new feature
Google app on Android beta showing Notifications.

The Google app for Android phones is getting a helpful new feature to make search even better. The latest beta has a dedicated "Notifications" feed in its bottom bar. The feature was first introduced on the mobile version of Google for Android earlier this year. The app feature was first noticed by 9to5Google.

The app now includes a Notifications option at the bottom, next to Discover, Search, and Saved items. The Notifications section displays a continuous list of alerts from Google Search, weather conditions, flight information, sports scores, movies and TV shows, and more. The notifications are grouped under “Today” and “Earlier." This feature should prove handy if you miss a notification from the Google app, as it provides a more focused view than Android's system-level history.

Read more