How Has Apple Advertised the iPad?

Update 2: Apple announced that it sold more than 300,000 iPad on the first day of sales.

Update: Munster estimates 600,000 to 700,000 iPads sold.

Regardless if the iPad is a worthwhile addition to our wardrobe of gadgets or not, the fact that most of us are even considering to purchase it reflects Apple’s advertising prowess.

Long before the iPad was officially announced, “leaked” videos already found their way to YouTube, generating a great deal of hype. We continued to wait, as anticipation heightened.

Finally, on 27 Jan, Apple invited notable tech journalists and bloggers to its highly anticipated tablet launch keynote. The new Apple tablet was named the “iPad”, which was also poked fun of, contributing to more buzz on both traditional and digital media. The buzz had no sign of dampening, as Apple enthusiasts continued to  talk about it. Several ideas came up even before the iPad was physically launched (e.g an iPad “carrier“), and several businesses were already attempting to ride the iPad wave.

The First iPad Ad

Apple never fails to impress. The first iPad ad was aired during the Oscars, which Steve Jobs also attended. Through the famous Apple style we are all familiar with, the 30 seconds ad showed what the iPad was capable of. The ad was certainly much better than the one HP came up with for “Slate“.

iPad Product Placement

Did Apple arrange an iPad product placement in TV Show, Modern Family? Probably. Several notable blogs have also shared about this, helping Apple generate even more free publicity. However, I feel that this product placement was a little too blatant.

TUAW summarized that episode very well:

“Throughout the episode, Phil’s wife waits in line at an Apple Store while she has her kids asking everyone they know if they can get their hands one on via Twitter, Facebook and text. It all works out in the end when Phil’s youngest son pulls an iPad out of a paper bag for his dad.”

iPad made covers of Time, Newsweek