Apple has lined up several big advertisers for its planned debut of iTunes Radio this fall.
Advertising Age reports the list includes McDonalds, Nissan, Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble and possibly more, with deals ranging from “high single-digit millions to tens of millions of dollars.”
The launch partners get exclusivity through 2013. The ads consist of both audio and video versions.
Ad Age and other observers see Pandora as iTunes Radio most immediate competitor because iTunes Radio won’t allow the user to search and play songs on-demand.
Apple and its music partners believe iTunes Radio’s largest revenue generator will be the ability to buy music, with a “purchase” button by every song, according to the account. That’s why traditional radio has been pretty quiet so far on the planned launch.
