The Financial Times is reporting that Apple recently delayed twice the launch of iAds in Europe, although it appears that iAds are now visible worldwide. Apple is about to launch European specific advertising campaigns, and is apparently thinking about lowering the $1M entry fee to attract more potential advertisers and brands such as Nestlè, Renault and L’Oreal.
The Financial Times has talked with various advertising agencies about the impact of Apple’s iAd system, and while some said iAds “are expensive and a pain to deal with” and “Apple is in a weaker position than you’d think” here comes an interesting tidbit from a senior marketing group executive:
Apple is still figuring out how to sell advertising. You don’t just become a sell-side media company overnight. The infrastructure is missing at Apple right now.
Clients don’t really take it that seriously yet. It goes in the experimental category, along with most of the rest of mobile advertising.
Last week Apple announced it would team up with Dentsu to bring iAds to Japan, and several advertisers saw click-through rates increase with Apple’s “engaging” ad system. Apple is new to the advertising business, however, and many ad agencies and creatives see Steve Jobs and his team as “control freaks”.
