Samsung, Microsoft, Nokia. You name it. Everyone wants a bite of Apple. Two new challenger ads launched this month and they are having a pop. So is snark the new game, and do attack ads work?
Well maybe, and the competitors certainly smell blood. But the product has to work too. And consumers seem to love one brand in particular.
The papers keep telling us Apple is losing market share to Android-based devices, with Samsung storming. Early last month, the Kantar Worldpanel ComTech claimed Android-based devices in the US smartphone market represented 51.2% share for the three month period ending February 2013. iOS dropped to 43.5%.
Globally, the San Fancisco Chronicle reported earlier this month that Samsung had shipped 69.4 million smartphones worldwide in Q1 2013, while Apple had shipped 37.4 million iPhones. Samsung now had 33% of the smartphone market share, compared with Apple's 17%, it said.
The past year has seen Apple's competitors take several stabs at it in its advertising, with Samsung and Microsoft both doing so this month. Microsoft launched an ad for its tablet called 'Less Talking, More Doing'. It uses Siri, Apple's voice technology, apologising for "only doing one thing at a time". Ouch.
Meanwhile, Samsung's keeping its guns trained on Apple. One ad for its Galaxy S4 called 'Grad Party' features iPhone users asking themselves why they were still with Apple after seeing others using a Samsung. Subtle.
Interbrand managing director Richard Curtis said such advertising was a response to brands recognising an opportunity to challenge the brand. "Apples' competitors are seeing is blood in the water," he said. "In a very aggressive manner, they are taking advantage of that window of opportunity to take Apple down a peg or two, and create a chance for themselves to step into that gap.
"It's not a sign of negativity about how they're managing their brands or their advertising. When you're up against such a big brand you have to take every opportunity you can.
"Apple has been dominating the industry with superior products and marketing for so long that the competitors have finally caught a glimpse of an opportunity. Based on history, these opportunities don't come around all that often."
So what effect do these ads have? "They create uncertainty about Apple being number one," Curtis said. "Up until now Apple has been flawless in its retail strategy, employee approach and product pipeline. There hasn't been a chink in its armour."
Curtis added it would interesting to see how Apple responded to the attacks. "[Apple] is typically resistant to comment in public but if it's becoming a marketing battlefield then it will feel the pressure to respond," he said.
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.
Have something to say? Send us your comments using the form below or contact the writer at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.