Dive Brief: 

• Apple purchased a Promoted Tweet on Twitter to promote the launch of iPad Air 2 Thursday despite the fact that the brand doesn't even have a Twitter handle. 
• The tech giant ran the social ad on the @iTunesMusic handle, as there is no official handle for Apple, iPad, or iPhone. 
• Promoted ads are known to run at least $200,000 a piece — a hefty sum considering Apple doesn't even leverage the free functions of the platform. 

Dive Insight: 

Apple's social strategy has always been less is more, so a brand that historically lets the buzz do the work for it using a promoted tweet is perplexing. The move could be reflective that Apple is trying to increase promotion amid a dwindling tablet market. It could also be the $200,000 price tag doesn't seem that high compared to the costs of running a social media presence full time— even if the platform itself is free.