Some Smart Advertising from Samsung
All multinational companies undergo scrutiny of their consumer proposals and brand promotion efforts by Advertising Communication watchdogs, and as can be expected, their advertising is not always greeted with total approval. Samsung is no exception.
By and large however, their advertising initiatives have been smart, bold and insightful, the majority of which have proven to be highly successful and widely lauded as such. Here are some I find rewardingly engaging.
1. Samsung Galaxy A, #SponsoredPost
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett, Sydney, Australia
Production Company: Prodigious, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia
I find this social integration ‘Galaxy A’ smartphone launch, an amusing satirical take on hashtag mania. The digital campaign is a delightful, over the top send-up of those numerous, ‘Brand Ambassador’ posts by ‘social media influencers’.
The music video features the campaign participating Aunty Donna comedy group, and four popular Australian ‘influencers’, bravely taking a laugh at themselves.
2. Samsung QLED 8K TV, Making History Again
Advertising Agency: adam&eve, New York, USA
The analogy of Samsung’s QLED 8K TV launch ‘Making History Again’, that celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon, is about an event that brought the world together as never before.
In partnership with Statement Films and CNN, the commercial reveals some newly discovered film footage from the historic Apollo 11 moon mission in 1969 that was streamed live on TV from a distance of 384,400 km and watched by 600 million people across the globe.
The campaign is aimed at the motivational enlightenment of new generation of achievers about the first moon landing’s major scientific achievements and Samsung’s invitation is be part of a history making experience in all its glory that should not be missed.
The music soundtrack, specially produced for the commercial, is by composer Benjamin Wallfisch.
3. Samsung QLED 8K, One Giant Leap for Reality
Advertising Agency: adam&eve, New York, USA
This is an impressive visual encapsulation of what Samsung’s QLED 8K has to offer for TV viewers.
4. Smart TV, Widow Wave
Advertising Agency: BETC, London, UK
Directed by Matt Kirby and filmed on location in Buenos Aires, Brazil, the commercial stars model Angela Bellotte of Victoria’s Secret fame.
The amusing chain-reaction story features some well known faces that delighted TV audiences motivating 50,000 views within four hours of the commercial’s launch.
5. Samsung Smart TV, Beach Charge
Advertising Agency: WPP’s CHI & Partners, London, UK
This cinematic commercial directed by Romain Gavras, is an entertaining epic that makes for amusing and memorable viewing.
The soundtrack song is ‘Run’ by Chris Turpin, Stephanie Ward, Mark Jones and Dom Kozubik of the British alternative rock brand, ‘Kill It Kids’.
6. Samsung Smart TV, King of TV City
Advertising Agency: WPP’s CHI & Partners, London, UK
Directed by Adam Berg and filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, the commercial features many dramatic scenes that include UFO’s and a close encounter with a T-Rex.
The special effects are very impressive and the cinematic references of box-office movie greats, makes for rewarding viewing.
7. Samsung Ultra High Definition Curved TV, Colosseum
Advertising Agency: WPP’s CHI & Partners, London, UK
The commercial was directed by Nathan Price and produced in partnership with Franck Lambertz and Carsten Keller from the special effects Motion Picture Company.
Nathan wanted as much of the action to be captured in-camera as possible. This meant an eight-week film production schedule on a set of the Colosseum that was constructed in a disused quarry in New Zealand, and a huge cast consisting of 350 extras and crew.
On the AdAge website Franck Lamberz highlighted some of the production planning considerations. “A particular challenge of filming in 4K (3840 pixels by 2160 resolution) is that the image is so clear that even tiny background details must be absolutely perfect.”
“When viewing the commercial on a Ultra High Definition monitor the detail is absolutely mind-blowing. Even the most minute expressions on members of the crowd are amplified, and all the architecture, concrete and wood, and even the leaves on the trees are incredibly detailed.”
The music soundtrack is by English composer and conductor John Barry’s ‘First Zulu Appearance and Assault’ from the British epic war film ‘Zulu’.
8. Samsung Galaxy Note8, A Song For The City
Advertising Agency: Guns Or Knives, Dublin, Ireland
The agency in collaboration with Make and Share’s Technical Producer Pauric Hackett, transformed the cables of architect Santiago Calatrava’s harp-inspired Samuel Becket Bridge in Dublin, into illuminated strings of a sound-producing harp.
The Samsung activation initiative required the creation of software that would interface an electric harp with a Galaxy Note8 to make the bridge innovatively ‘playable’.
Tiny Arc video producers Nathan Reilly and Siobhain Kehoe, recorded the live performance by Harpist Aisling Ennis, who composed an original score for the activation, and streamed the event live to Samsung Ireland’s Facebook site where over 100,000 views were motivated.
The campaign won a European Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Grand Prix and seven additional IMC awards.
9. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, The Rio Olympics Anthem
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett, Chicaco, USA, and Leo Burnett, Sydney, Australia
The Samsung Galaxy ‘Anthem’ commercial, developed for airing during the 2016 Rio Olympics, was a timely message composed of carefully chosen words from several countries’ national anthems being woven into the lyrics of one song for an Anthem of International Unity.
The opening scene of the commercial features a young Australian girl singing a line from the Botswana national anthem into a Samsung Galaxy S7edge. The commercial then proceeds to travel across the world to other scenes of fans and athletes singing lines from other national anthems.
Through our unity and harmony, we’ll remain at peace as one (Botswana)
For we are young and free, with glowing hearts we see thee rise. (Australia, Canada)
The day of glory has arrived, oh say can you see, a vivid ray of love and hope descends to Earth (France, USA, Brazil)
The people living united and progressive, join together all of our hearts as one. (Malaysia, Malawi)
Happy and glorious, listen to us gently with the infinite love. (UK, New Zealand)
Unity and justice and freedom, stand unchanged by wind and frost. (Germany, South Korea)
Offer peace to friends, and united we shall stand. (Tunisia, South Africa)
Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, in press release explained the company’s motivation behind the ‘The Anthem’ campaign.
“It is a reflection of our continuous pursuit to break down geographic barriers and unite the world through technology and borderless communication”.
10. Samsung Gear VR, Ostrich
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett, Chicago, USA
Directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen the commercial was filmed in South Africa and features Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’ as the soundtrack. It is regarded by many industry professionals as one of the best ever commercials to be made for Samsung.
The entertaining ‘Do What You Can’t’ story won 2 Bronze, 2 Silver and 3 Gold Cannes lions in the film craft category for best direction, visual effects and animation.
At the 2018 Art Directors Club of New York (ADC) awards show, Leo Burnett, Chicago, and video production service company AJZ in Los Angeles, California, took home three top prizes for ‘Samsung Gear VR, Ostrich’.
The awards are namely; a Gold Cube in the Online/Mobile Video category, a Gold Cube for Craft in Video/Cinematography, and a Gold Cube for Experietial Design.