Thumbnail for 3415

Sony Spending More Money on PS4 TV Ads Than Microsoft Is on Xbox One TV Ads

Have you noticed more TV ads for Xbox One or PlayStation 4? According to research firm iSpot (via The Wall Street Journal) chances are it’s the PS4, as Sony has been spending a lot more money than Microsoft on TV ads this year.

According to iSpot, Sony spent $59 million on PlayStation TV ads through the end of May 2014, whereas Microsoft spent $34.7 million on Xbox TV ads during the same period. Both companies focused on the same channels, spending the majority of that cash on FOX, ESPN, and Comedy Central. Microsoft also advertised on AMC (home to The Walking Dead) and TBS, while PlayStation also advertised on Fox Sports 1 and TNT.

iSpot’s data, which accounts for the number of times an ad was aired, viewed online, and the number of social interactions it generated (tweets, Facebook likes, and shares), shows that PlayStation’s “Greatness” TV spot was Sony’s most effective ad. For Microsoft, Xbox’s “All-in-One” ad was the most effective.

While iSpot’s study suggest that the PS4 has generated more “digital actions” overall, a recent study from Movoto suggests that the Xbox One is the more popular console on Facebook.

According to the last official worldwide numbers, PlayStation 4 sold 7 million units to date, putting it well ahead of Xbox One’s 5 million units.

Emanuel Maiberg is a freelance writer. You can follow him on Twitter @emanuelmaiberg and Google+.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com