Samsung is known as the innovative leader in the smartphone category among tech experts and Samsung Galaxy’s loyal user base. Samsung saw an opportunity to challenge the status quo among non-Samsung users and insert itself into the conversation surrounding Apple’s keynote event and iPhone 14 series launch. We aimed to appeal to non-Samsung users by highlighting Samsung’s recent innovations — from its industry-defining camera to the recently-launched Z Series foldables phones — in order to increase the consideration of Samsung.
We identified a group of non-Samsung users who are open-minded and curious and who want the best phone on the market, no matter the brand. We define this group of consumers as fence-sitters. Fence-sitters have three main mindsets when it comes to Samsung: intrigued, curious and conflicted. We set out to grab fence-sitters’ attention and drive consideration by directly addressing the main barriers they face to making the switch: fear of judgment, unfamiliarity and fear of change.
To build on the momentum of Samsung’s Z Series launch in August, we planned to insert ourselves into the conversation when the majority of non-Samsung owners were in-market and paying attention to the smartphone category — during the Apple keynote and iPhone14 launch. Our approach had three stages:
The first stage (pre-keynote) introduced a 30-second movie trailer, “Buckle Up,” provoking consumers to rethink their expectations and show off the technology advancements that would likely not be announced at the keynote — but that a consumer could experience with Samsung smartphones. The objective was to help our fence-sitters compare Galaxy smartphones to iPhones so that they were better informed and more willing to consider a Galaxy smartphone. The campaign successfully provoked media and product reviewers to include Samsung Galaxy comparisons in the keynote event and product launch coverage more than past launches.
The second stage launched the day of the keynote with provocative tweets like “Let us know when it folds” and “Count Up” DOOH across the U.S. The “Count Up” campaign leveraged API technology to count up the days, hours, minutes and seconds since Samsung introduced technology that Apple hasn’t yet brought to market: foldable smartphones, 108MP cameras and 8K video. This spec-based approach focused on increasing awareness of Samsung as the most innovative brand in the smartphone space.
The third stage (post-launch of the iPhone 14 series) featured a series of “On the Fence” online videos designed to address the emotional barriers that hold fence-sitters back from switching to Samsung. For those who fear judgment, we showcased the positive attention that a foldable smartphone attracts. For those who are tempted but conflicted about making a change, we showed the ways their smartphone experience would be improved through Samsung innovations.
This campaign succeeded in generating a lively dialogue about the benefits of Samsung over competitors’ smartphones. We rallied fans of the brand to speak up and leverage facts to combat assumptions, especially among those who may be considering switching from iOS to Android. The “Let us know when it folds” post received nearly 74K likes and more than 12K retweets and reactions on Twitter. Samsung mentions during the Apple keynote timeframe — including iPhone 14 comparisons and camera/photo mentions — increased 50%+ over the prior year across all social media channels. Pushing the media to draw this comparison also led to increased Samsung mentions in Apple product reviews (YoY), and the campaign was covered in major outlets like Ad Age, MSN, Business Today and MediaPost. And most importantly, the campaign caused shifts in consideration. Comparing the September – November timeframe to the year prior, we saw positive shifts in consideration among the total market and specifically among Apple owners.
