Google scoops into Apple with Pixel 10 spot

There is vanilla, and then there is vanilla. The latter is what Google is poking fun at in its latest ad for the Pixel 10 — the ordinary, safe choice with no distinctive characteristics. Or, as the insinuation goes, the iPhone 17.

The 60-second film uses a cone of vanilla ice cream as a metaphor for a smartphone. Whether it is selfies, morning jogs, or snapping the Mona Lisa, the jabs are unmistakable. Giant hoardings promoting the “All New Vanilla Pro” only drive the point home.

This is not the first time Google has taken a dig at its rival through advertising. From sports-themed references to camera jokes, the tech giant has often used playful mockery to highlight its own strengths. Take the ads where the two phone brands come together to bust news reports about one copying the other.

The Pixel 10 recently launched in India with a starting price of over Rs 70,000, while the Pixel 10 Pro is priced upwards of Rs 1 lakh. The iPhone 17 retails for over Rs 80,000 and the iPhone 17 Pro costs over a lakh.