If you’re reading this blog:
you likely either own an iPhone or an Android device
… and you’ve likely read my coverage of the marketing blitzes around Droid and around Apple’s iPhone
… and you’ve probably seen the recent commercials from Verizon and AT&T around 3G maps:

But did you know that Verizon and AT&T are the second and third largest national advertisers respectively? Together, they spend nearly $7 billion each year – more than 3x the spend of Coke and Pepsi… combined.

And as Verizon attacks AT&T Apple with their new Droid lineup, you can bet that advertising will play an integral role both online and offline. And as you saw with their recent Luke Wilson campaign, AT&T is capable and willing to respond both aggressively and quickly:

The combatants this time around—in case you hadn’t noticed—are Verizon Wireless and AT&T, the respective No. 1 and No. 2 U.S. wireless carriers. That’s the nation’s second-largest advertiser (Verizon’s marketing war chest is $3.7 billion), up against the third largest (AT&T spent $3.1 billion last year according to the Ad Age Datacenter). Those budgets dwarf Coca-Cola’s $752 million or even PepsiCo’s $1.3 billion.

From AdAge’s ‘Verizon Vs. AT&T: Blistering Battle Raging Over Map’

Also worth noting, the advertising figures from AdAge do not take into account the tangential spend from related brands, developers and/or manufacturers. For instance, Apple advertisers heavily for the iPhone (on television, in the New York Times, etc) and brands with successful applications frequently use their TV spots to, in part, promote their mobile presence.

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