It seems you can’t go anywhere these days without seeing an advert for the iPhone. They’re on billboards in the street, they’re there when you switch on the TV, and you’ll also find them in newspapers and magazines. But believe it or not, there’s one company that spends more — a lot more! — on advertising its smartphones than Apple does.

That company is Samsung. In 2012, Samsung outspent Apple by more than three to one in smartphone advertising, with a number of large campaigns on TV, in print, and on the Internet. In total, the Korean company spent $401 million advertising its phones.

In comparison, Apple spent $333 million, according to ad research and consulting firm Kantar Media.

Samsung’s campaigns, including those for “The Next Big Thing” and several that poked fun at the iPhone and other rival devices, are seen as one of the driving forces behind the company’s massive lead in the global smartphone race. Samsung currently holds a 30.3% share of the worldwide smartphone market, which has risen from just 19% since 2011.

Michael Sievert, chief marketing officer of T-Mobile USA, told The Wall Street Journal that Samsung “understand[s] how to build a strong product… and have been willing to invest to drive their success.”

Apple’s ad campaigns have been successful, too. The iPhone is America’s most effective cellphone brand, according to analytics firm Ace Metrix, beating Samsung’s Galaxy devices, which come in second. Samsung was the top technology brand of 2012 overall, however.

And it’s not about to let that slip away. Samsung has continued its advertising push into 2013 with a big campaign during the Super Bowl, and a massive presence at both the Consumer Electronics Show in January, and Mobile World Congress in February.

The company also spends a lot of cash on “below the line” marketing, The Journal reports, which includes things like in-store advertising, promotions, and training for retail sales representatives.

This Thursday, March 14, Samsung will unveil its much-anticipated Galaxy S IV, which is expected to become this year’s hottest smartphone. It follows the hugely successful Galaxy S III, which was one of the best-selling smartphones of 2011, with more than 40 million units sold in just 11 months.

• SourceThe Wall Street Journal