Adidas is believed to have pulled its $10+ million ad campaign from Apple’s iAd program after the Cupertino company reportedly rejected its concepts not once, but three times, with the Apple CEO being described as a “control freak”.Citing an industry exec, Silicon Alley Insider
notes that Apple CEO Steve Jobs reportedly was being “too much of a control freak”.
According to this person, “Adidas decided to cancel its iAds after Apple rejected its creative concept for the third time,” the report reveals, adding that Apple is known to have taken more control over iAds than any other program in the industry, in an effort to ramp up ad quality.
Practices included making the actual ads themselves which, needless to point out, didn’t fall well with some big agencies, including Chanel, which also took its business elsewhere citing similar reasons.
The departure of Adidas would be the second high-profile customer lost, SAI reports, if the rumor is confirmed.
Apple refused to comment on the rumor, but has not denied that Adidas has pulled out of the iAd program, SAI reports.
The source adds that Adidas could have forwarded “really lame ideas” to Apple. In such a scenario, the Mac maker’s move would be justified. Adidas did not respond to a request for comment either.
Finally, the report mentions a statement from Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz in September who said Apple's tight control over advertisers’ business will likely drive them away, causing the iAd business to "fall apart."
On its web site, Apple
describes the concept saying “iAd rich media ads bring motion and emotion to mobile advertising through branded experiences that entertain and inform.”
The ads distinguish themselves from similar solutions by not forcing the customer to leave the app as they click on the ad.
“iAd reaches millions of iPhone and iPod touch users around the world — a highly desirable audience for advertisers — in their favorite apps. With the iAd Network, you get access to the most engaged consumers out there,” Apple believes.
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