LG trolls Apple with ads, posters in Korea

LG Electronics has released aggressive newspaper advertisements and posters in Korea publications and LG Uplus mobile phone stores that take jabs at Apple's iPhone 5.

According to The Korea Times, the Korean electronics giant released a newspaper advertisement in all major local publications on Monday, which has its Optimus G smartphone slice through a half eaten apple. An accompanying slogan read, "A moment's choice will decide your next two years", encouraging consumers to buy its products over the iPhone maker.

Recently released posters on majority of its stores owned by or affiliated with LG Uplus, also seemed to slam the iPhone 5.

They contained mocking phrases such as "iPhone 5? Really disappointing!" or "iPhone 5? It will stifle you the more you use it!", and other variants.

The posters further go into detail on what LG believes are unattractive features of the iPhone 5, calling the 4-inch screen "too small", its download speed "80 percent of its competitors," and "a phone that isolates a consumer by having no up-to-date apps available". LG also noted the absence of near field communications (NFC) and digital media broadcasting (DMB).

LG denies intentional blows at Apple
Currently, LG Uplus is unable to release the iPhone due to a frequency difference and LG Electronics competes with Apple in the smartphone market, noted the report. However, another LG Group subsidiary LG Display, currently supplies in-plane switching panels to Apple, one of its biggest clients.

LG, however, denied any intended attacks on Apple which may raise animosity affecting their partnership, when approached by the Korean news site.

According to Kim Sang-pyo, an LG Uplus spokesperson, the posters contains facts on the iPhone 5, and is "not slander".

"It is just a fact that is has no NFC, no DMB. Its screen is comparatively small so that is also true. Other nuanced phrases are usually adopted for marketing. We are absolutely not targeting Apple as a company and the messages on the posters are not our official stance,” Kim said.

Another spokesperson from LG Electronics, Jinny Lee, also denied intended attacks at Apple.

"The ad was prepared to show the capabilities and true value of the Optimus G, which was chosen as the best smartphone both locally and globally. We wanted to highlight the fact that consumers must carefully scrutinize products on whether they have must-have features," she said.

The conglomerate respects its individual suibsidiaries' goals with different interests and business models that aim for efficiency, an LG Group spokesperson added.