And so Samsung is on a marketing overdrive again. Nothing wrong with that but they seemed to be obsessed with Apple and iPhone in particular. In Australia they have launched a guerrilla marketing program against iPhone by staging a ‘protest’ outside an Apple Store in Sydney. This is timed with the imminent launch of the ‘next Galaxy‘ and hence the dig at Apple fans to ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ as the saying goes.
Via: Mumbrella. Check out the video here.
I fail to understand this strategy of attempting to embarrass or mock the Apple fans into submission. Both Apple and Samsung have been successful following entirely different strategies in the mobile space. While Apple has just one model in the smartphone space targeting the high end, Samsung attempts to cover all bases with a plethora of smartphone options. Just the Galaxy variant probably has a handful of sub-brands (if you can call it that). As an aside, the nomenclature structure leads to some unintended fun.
So why would Samsung do something that would make them come across as a desperate wannabe brand? The Samsung Galaxy brand (be it S2 or Note) has an avid fan following. So does the iPhone. It is virtually impossible to convince one group about the superiority of the other. In that context, I doubt if poking fun at the Apple fans and talking down to them will not convert them into the Android fold. At least not the die hard ones who have willingly chosen the so-called ‘closed’ platform. There could be a some newbies to the iOS fold who could perhaps get swayed. But the pros of this approach don’t outweigh the cons. Even Android fans agree.
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Samsung: misdirected ‘wake up’ call to Apple fans http://t.co/myUVLEze
Good point! Nice read!RT @bhatnaturally: Samsung’s misdirected ‘wake up’ call to Apple fans http://t.co/8M2JoFie #wakeup #Apple
Samsung: misdirected ‘wake up’ call to Apple fans http://t.co/myUVLEze
Good point! Nice read!RT @bhatnaturally: Samsung's misdirected ‘wake up’ call to Apple fans http://t.co/8M2JoFie #wakeup #Apple
Hmmm… apple did something very similar with their “Hi, I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” TV commercials: back these days the mocking ads have been funny, now that Samsung does them apple fanboys get angry.
i never liked apples past ads, neither do i like the current samsung ones.
Hmmm… apple did something very similar with their "Hi, I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC" TV commercials: back these days the mocking ads have been funny, now that Samsung does them apple fanboys get angry.
i never liked apples past ads, neither do i like the current samsung ones.
I absolutely agree with your misgivings. As I pointed out in a post about this rivalry, Apple is very good at being Apple. And their consumers love them for the brand they are. So it’s not smart brand strategy to address a strong brand competitor at their strongest points. I also said that if I were working for Samsung, I would be actively encouraging them to avoid any reference to their competitors. It didn’t work in the Cola wars. It didn’t work in the auto wars. And I very much doubt whether it will work here. My full post on this is at http://markdisomma.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/market-leadership-you-cant-lead-as-a-brand-if-you-follow-another-brand/
I absolutely agree with your misgivings. As I pointed out in a post about this rivalry, Apple is very good at being Apple. And their consumers love them for the brand they are. So it’s not smart brand strategy to address a strong brand competitor at their strongest points. I also said that if I were working for Samsung, I would be actively encouraging them to avoid any reference to their competitors. It didn’t work in the Cola wars. It didn’t work in the auto wars. And I very much doubt whether it will work here. My full post on this is at http://markdisomma.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/marke…
My 2 bits to the argument. I agree that Samsung’s campaign is not going to sway Apple fans. But i don’t think that’s what the campaign is about.
To me, it looks like Samsung is talking to its own fan and other Android fans and giving them a strong reason why!!!! …
It’s a smart move benchmarking themselves to the business leader. I am not a techy guy … but marketing wise I think its smart.
Fair enough. In the past Samsung has run commercials poking fun at iPhone. I had said then that it will only make Android fans happy about their choice. Mark’s post (see comment on this post) said: As soon as any brand does this, there’s a very real risk that what it is actually doing is fighting with its perceived nemesis on their terms and therefore, subconciously or not, by their strengths. Because of the underlying references, Apple also becomes a focus and therefore, by implication, an authority.
And oh, apparently Samsung has washed its hands off this stunt. It was not an official one.
My 2 bits to the argument. I agree that Samsung's campaign is not going to sway Apple fans. But i don't think that's what the campaign is about.
To me, it looks like Samsung is talking to its own fan and other Android fans and giving them a strong reason why!!!! …
It's a smart move benchmarking themselves to the business leader. I am not a techy guy … but marketing wise I think its smart.
Fair enough. In the past Samsung has run commercials poking fun at iPhone. I had said then that it will only make Android fans happy about their choice. Mark's post (see comment on this post) said: As soon as any brand does this, there’s a very real risk that what it is actually doing is fighting with its perceived nemesis on their terms and therefore, subconciously or not, by their strengths. Because of the underlying references, Apple also becomes a focus and therefore, by implication, an authority.
And oh, apparently Samsung has washed its hands off this stunt. It was not an official one.
No wonder, they will do anything to get all the costumers of apple. That is all
about business. Any tactics they will do to beat their competitor.
No wonder, they will do anything to get all the costumers of apple. That is all
about business. Any tactics they will do to beat their competitor.
Not an official one. Isn’t that interesting, like the pulsar and other fans making youtube videos and ads according to their taste.
Not an official one. Isn't that interesting, like the pulsar and other fans making youtube videos and ads according to their taste.
It wasn’t Samsung to begin with Lucky. It was Blackberry (RIM).
Am down under at the moment, so at the scene of all the action.
Perhaps you want to amend the post 🙂
It wasn't Samsung to begin with Lucky. It was Blackberry (RIM).
Am down under at the moment, so at the scene of all the action.
Perhaps you want to amend the post 🙂