As companies pile into the new iPhone App Store, marketers eager to cash in on Apple’s cool factor have taken to pushing their own programs for use on the popular phone.
Since the store launched on July 11, companies have raced to put out hundreds of add-on applications, or “apps,” for use on the iPhone and its cousin, the iPod Touch.
More than 900 apps have been introduced by third parties, and with all that competition some companies are springing for ad campaigns to draw attention to their programs.
Bank of America, for instance, is running Web ads for its free mobile-banking application, which allows users to locate the nearest ATM, check account balances and pay bills.
The bank’s app was designed to serve the popular phone, according to a spokeswoman, and to encourage more people to sign up for mobile banking. About 34 percent of the company’s 1.1 million active mobile-banking customers are iPhone users.
Although Bank of America doesn’t break out the number of times its app was downloaded, the company said it has so far exceeded expectations.
“During the week of the App Store launch, we saw a record number of new mobile-phone customers,” said spokeswoman Tara Burke.
The App Store is already considered a success. On Tuesday, Apple said users have downloaded 25 million apps, ranging from games and instant messaging to digital news feeds and store locators.
Although Bank of America is believed to be the first big brand to actively market its app, more are expected. Mobile marketing experts said their clients are just beginning to see the potential.
“I can absolutely see bigger and more brand advertisers who want to promote a branded application,” said Jason Spero, vice president of marketing for AdMob, a mobile ad network.
AdMob is running iPhone-specific ads for Electronic Arts, the maker of “NFL Madden Football” and “Guitar Hero,” to promote EA’s gaming apps.
“We assumed the App Store would be great for games and users,” Spero said. “I don’t think we thought long and hard about brands leveraging it.”