In the mid-aughts, Motorola’s Razr was the it phone. Until the iPhone came along.
So, it’s easy to imagine Motorola’s excitement when the competitor that knocked it down seems to be faltering, and it can jump at the chance to fight back. That’s exactly what Motorola, now a Lenovo company, has done with a full-page print ad from Ogilvy in The New York Times.
W+K Portland launched a new spot for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, starring Christoph Waltz, entitled “Busy, Busy, Busy.”
“Americans, I don’t understand you,” says the Vienna-born actor, who has both Austrian and German citizenship, at the opening of the spot. “Always working, all the time, busy, busy, busy. Now you have this Galaxy Note 7 so you can do even more.”
Waltz takes the place of a multi-tasking mom, man working while on vacation and overachieving student, saying he just doesn’t get it. “You’re never happy just winning something,” he says while running a track event and reading the paper (and setting a world record in the process). “You’re only happy winning everything.”
What has all this gotten Americans, he asks — but by the end of the ad, he’s a convert.
Waltz may initially seem like an odd choice for the patriotic spot, but his take on American stereotypes and his eventual conversion (complete with American flags draped over his house) is entertaining. In fact, it’s hard to imagine anyone else displaying the acting chops to pull it off quite as convincingly.
“What we liked about Christoph is that he’s able to convey the perspective outside the U.S.,” Samsung chief creative officer Jesse Coulter explained to Adweek. “He’s such a great actor that he’s able to take on these relatable characters throughout the ad.”
The spot will make its broadcast debut, appropriately enough, tonight during NBC’s coverage of the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremonies. Samsung’s new device, meanwhile, will make its debut on the 19th of the month, two days before the closing ceremony.
Credits:
Client: Samsung
Agency: W+K Portland
Group Creative Director: Craig Allen
Creative Directors: Brandon Mugar / Tim Roan
Copywriter: Jonathan Marshall
Art Director: Helen Rhodes
Integrated Executive Producer: Erika Madison
Senior Producer: Erin Goodsell
Account Team: Phil Williams / Drew Widell
Executive Creative Directors: Mark Fitzloff/Susan Hoffman
Production
Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Noam Murro
Managing Director: Shawn Lacy
Executive Producer: Rick Jarjoura
Producer: Kathy Rhodes
Heads of Production: Mercedes Allen Sarria / Rachel Glaub
Director of Photography: Simon Duggan
Production Designer: Bruce McCloskey
Editorial
Editorial Company: Arcade
Editor: Geoff Hounsell
Managing Partner: Damian Stevens
Executive Producer: Crissy DeSimone
Head of Production: Kirsten Thon-Webb
Senior Producer: Adam Becht
Assistant Editors: Dean Miyahira / Andy Trecki
VFX
VFX Company: The Mill
Executive Producer: Enca Kaul
VFX Producer: Anastasia von Rahl
Creative Directors/Set Supervisors: Robert Sethi / Chris Knight
2D Lead: Chris Knight
3D Lead: Gawain Liddiard
2D Artists: Tim Bird, Ed Black, Krysten Richardson, Joy Tiernan, Don Kim, Yukiko Ishiwata
3D Artists: Blake Sullivan, Jason Monroe, Ed Laag, Itai Muller, Jason Kim, Dave Vander Pol
Production Coordinator: Alana Giordano
Grade
Company: Company 3
Colorist: Siggy Ferstl
Executive Producer: Ashley McKim
Producer: Matt Moran
Music
Music Company: Mutato Muzika
Composer: Mark Mothersbaugh
Engineer: Bradley Denniston
Producer: Natalie P. Montgomery
Mix
Mix: Company Lime
Engineer / Sound Designer: Rohan Young
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan
Why did the snail cross the road? To go shoot the curl, of course.
This new ad for Samsung frames the enterprising spirit (or, skeptics might say, the biological hardwiring) of a slug in a shell as as a source of great inspiration—namely, for surfers.
That may sound a little stupid, but the the marketers at the consumer electronics company know it—the minute-plus commercial, by Leo Burnett Chicago, somehow manages to be existential and lighthearted at the same time, musing on the inner life of a mollusk as a metaphor for a young boy who loves the sport of surfing.
Leo Burnett Chicago launched a spot for Samsung celebrating Margret Rumat Rumar Hassan, the 19-year-old 400-meter runner from South Sudan who represents that country’s first-ever Olympic athlete, entitled “The Chant.”
“The Chant” promotes the Samsung Gear IconX cord-free earbuds, which Hassan puts on in the beginning of the ad. This sparks a switch to scenes of locals chanting for her across her home country, interspersed with her preparing to enter the Olympic stadium. The concludes with Hassan’s name announced over the stadium loudspeaker as she removes the earbuds.
As far as Olympic stories go, Hassan’s is especially inspiring, and an excellent match for the campaign’s message, as the spot concludes with the “Proud sponsor of those who defy barriers” line, followed by the unfortunate “#DoWhatYouCant” hashtag. While the connection to the product is a bit of a stretch, there’s at least a tenuous connection to the wireless earbuds allowing increased mobility for its users, especially athletes using them during a workout.
“We wanted to find an athlete that represented progress and defied the barriers and overcame something, to be an embodiment of what the brand is and the mentality of the brand. You can’t move forward without overcoming obstacles,” Leo Burnett Chicago senior vice president, creative director Gordy Sang told Adweek.
“The fact that South Sudan wasn’t a country five years ago and now it’s a country and has athletes representing them in the Olympics is ‘Do What You Can’t,’” added fellow senior vice president, creative director Brian Siedband.
Credits:
Client: Samsung
Agency: Leo Burnett Chicago
Campaign: “The Chant”
Chief Creative Officer: Britt Nolan
SVP Creative Director: Brian Siedband/Gordy Sang
VP, Executive Producer: Matt Blitz
Senior Producer: Brian Behling
SVP Global Account Director: Radim Svoboda
Account Director: Ashley Beam
Global Account Supervisor: Huy Ngo
Account Executive: Emily Smith
SVP Global Strategy Director: Kara Yang
Strategy Director: Christopher Bridgland
VP, Director of Celebrity Services: Peggy Walter
Production Company: EPOCH
Director: Martin de Thurah
Director of Photography: Mátyás Erdély
Executive Producer: Melissa Culligan
Line Producer: Anura Idupuganti
Editorial House: Work Editorial
Editor: Stewart Reeves
Executive Producer: Marlo Baird
Post Production: The Mill – NY
Executive Producer: Sean Costelloe
Producers: Eliana Carranza-Pitcher/Nick Strange Thye
Colorist: Fergus McCall
Samsung is back to pull at your heartstrings again, this time with a campaign about premature babies.
Infants born too early face a greater risk of language and attention disorders later in life. The tech conglomerate created a new way to mitigate that danger—by helping mothers communicate with infants stuck in neonatal intensive care, as if they were still in the womb.
Virtual reality still has a lot to prove. And today it takes a big step toward demonstrating its potential everyday usefulness with a cool Samsung campaign that simulates one of the most intimate family traditions—the parent-child bedtime story.
With help from BBH London, Samsung Electronics has launched a live VR storytelling app called Bedtime VR Stories, which is designed to have a parent and child read together inside a VR world when they can’t be physically together. They each wear VR headsets and can talk to each other—and see a version of each other—inside the world as they read together. (The app uses a combination of VR and Voice over Internet Protocol—or VoIP—technology.”
Bedtime VR Stories launches with a single tale, titled “The Most Wonderful Place to Be.” Parent and child sit on a magical bed during the five-minute experience and visit three places—the Arctic, where they meet Jen the Penguin; a prehistoric world featuring Dan the Dinosaur; and outer space, where Robot Jo treats them to a musical finale.
Do you often find yourself compulsively stuck in GIF-style sequences where you’re repeating the same everyday action in a continuous loop just for fun? If so, Samsung would like you to consider its Galaxy S6.
The new ad below shows a bunch of happy young people doing a series of happy activities—flipping eggs, subway dancing, popping champaign. But instead of featuring each activity just once, the ad cuts them into a stuttering sequence of mini-clips that the brand is describing as GIFs, and which it’s also planning to use individually to promote the phone.
Big Spaceship selected the video’s music track, “When I Rule The World” by LIZ, which will be released on Columbia Records in the coming weeks. It’s a gleefully shrill, domineering record, apparently meant to appeal to youthful hubris, though if the rest of you olds can clear the blood out of your ears long enough to hear the lyrics, the sexual undertones are actually kind of subversive for a major marketer. It’s not every day you hear Samsung telling you to “get down on your knees and then do as I please until I tell you to stop” (even if that hope might be the basic premise at the heart of all of its messaging).
As fun as it might be, beating viewers about the head with fun and optimism could read as symptomatic of not having very much to say. Instead, Samsung harps on an intrinsically generic “new phone feeling,” which it suggests this phone will give you over and over again. And while the GIF approach theoretically fits the zeitgeist, and is reinforced at least in the abstract by PC Music’s incorporation of Internet cultural cues into its work, the concept ends up feeling a little half-baked. How hypnotizing or rewarding is it really to watch a guy pour coffee on repeat?
GIFs at their best tend to turn on some kind of exceptional visual cleverness or silliness or weirdness that’s riveting in its own right—not just a circular, slick, relatively mundane sales pitch. That, even if it is possible to tie simpler loops into a clearer narrative and proposition, as Spanish soccer magazine Libero proved with its dancing players.
At least nobody can accuse Samsung of not getting enough product shots in, though.
Big Spaceship, Samsung’s global social agency of record, launched a new spot promoting the Samsung Galaxy S6 entitled “That New Phone Feeling.”
The ad celebrates the feeling of discovery when you take a new phone out of the box and discover all of its features. Described as a “GIF-powered music video,” the spot was created using a series of GIFs and set to the song “When I Rule the World” by LIZ, which will be released by Columbia Records in the coming weeks. The 30 GIFS which make up the video will be released as stand-alone content across Samsung’s social channels. The fragmented, repetitive nature of the “GIF-powered” video was described as “hypnotic” in a release but we feel that “disorienting” is probably more apt. While the intention was likely to unite the video with the GIFs featured on the social channels, a more traditional video might have served the brand better.
BBDO Proximity Thailand launched “Memory Recaller” for Samsung, “a one-stop mobile application that utilizes facial recognition to recall connections for people with Alzheimer’s, naturally and seamlessly.”
BBDO Proximity Thailand worked with a Dementia specialist at Praram9 Hospital to create the easy-to-use app. It works by utilizing the mobile camera and facial recognition technology to detect the person standing in front of the patient and then informs them of their name and relationship to them in auto-speech. There’s also an “Activity Recaller” feature to help patients keep track of completed activities to avoid repeating activities they’ve already completed. While it can’t stop the progression of Alzheimer’s, the app has real potential to improve the lives of patients, by reestablishing lost connections and alleviating some of the isolation of memory loss. The case study above demonstrates the app in action, through the positive role it plays in one man’s life.
Credits:
Chief Creative Officer: Suthisak Sucharittanonta
Executive Creative Director: Anuwat Nitipanont
Creative Director: Anuwat Nitipanont
Art Director: Katkanan Boonyarungsrit
Copywriter: Manamai Rodpetch
Copywriter: Peter Oh
Business Director: Arunee Rueangwattanaporn
Account Director: Tanyawan Wongapichart
Account manager: Umaporn Khlangbunkhrong
Digital Project Manager: Chanaphang Wutthithammakoon
Following “Home for the Holidays,” McKinney’s holiday spot for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S starring Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, the agency has brought the Hollywood couple back for a pair of spots showing off Samsung’s home appliances.
In “Crushing Dinner Parties with Samsung Home Appliances,” Kristen and Dax frantically prepare for a dinner party for “six adults, four toddlers and a baby” (or, as Dax puts it, “We’ll host a circus.”). The 60-second spot shows how, with help from Samsung appliances, the seemingly impossible task is not all that hard. In fact, it’s easy enough that when all their friends cancel on them, Kristen and Dax don’t even seem to mind. Another spot shows Samsung’s Activewash Top Load Washer coming to the rescue when their baby’s stuffed doll, Lamby, takes a juice box to the face. The approach is very much the same as with McKinnney’s previous spots starring the couple: integrating Samsung products into snippets designed to portray the couple’s everyday life. If you found the cuteness overload too much to take before, you’d be advised to skip these. If, on the other hand, you can’t get enough of Kristen and Dax, there’s also a behind-the-scenes clip that runs almost ten minutes long (featured below, following the Samsung Activewash spot).
After reviewing several extremely similar, extremely sentimental Mother’s Day ads, R/GA’s humorous take on the superfluous holiday comes as a big relief.
The 60-second ad, entitled “#TextsFromMom” gently pokes fun at technologically-challenged matriarchs, in a way that every can relate to and doesn’t come across as mean-spirited. These text fails range from blank messages, to an entire recipe delivered via text, to unknowingly using a poop emoji for ice cream. The message is very on-brand, and ends with just the right amount of sentiment, via a short message telling viewers to give their moms a call this Sunday. It’s about as well as you can craft an ad around the limitations of the holiday, simultaneously poking fun at and celebrating moms. There’s also a social extension, giving Twitter users who tweet their own “#TextsFromMom” a chance to win a new Galaxy S6 Edge and, according to Adweek, you can dial the moms’ numbers that are visible in the ad to hear their voicemail messages.
Mother’s Day has become one big cryfest for advertisers—a time to see how choked up they can make viewers. That kind of sentimentality is fine, when communicated well, but there’s definitely weep fatigue setting in. Which is why this Samsung ad, “#TextsFromMom,” is a such a breath of fresh air.
The R/GA spot looks at how your mom probably uses text messaging—or rather, misuses it. The whole thing is pretty funny, and nicely pokes fun without getting too mean. And it sticks the landing by reminding you that you shouldn’t be texting with Mom at all this Sunday.
You’ll also notice that some of the moms’ phone numbers are visible in the spot. If you dial them, you get to hear what they have to say in their voicemail messages.
You can also show off your mom’s funniest texts using hashtag #TextsFromMom for a chance to win a Galaxy S 6 edge.
72andSunny launched a campaign for Samsung, promoting the brand’s tie in with Avengers: Age of Ultron and the new Galaxy S6.
A couple of days ago the agency debuted “Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and Samsung Mobile present ‘Assemble’ Part 1,” and the follow-up was just released today. In the first offering, a young boy, a female engineer and Samsung ambassador athletes — Lionel Messi, professional surfer John John Florence, Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy and pro cyclist Fabian Cancellara — are recruited for a secret mission via mysterious suitcases which match each to an Avenger. It’s revealed their mission is to become an avenger via VR training with the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Gear VR. At the end of the second video, the mission is extended to Avengers fans everywhere, who can engage in a virtual reality experience of their own via the Gear VR headset or on an Android device. The VR component was created in conjunction with VFX company Framestore, with guidance from Marvel.
72andSunny partner and executive creative director Bryan Rowles explained to AdAge, “We ended up with the idea that, whether you’re an athlete or a normal person, wouldn’t it be cool to be a superhero — wouldn’t it be cool to be an Avenger?”
After creating the two videos, however, the agency still felt like something was missing. “…we realized that the films weren’t leading you anywhere,” Rowles said. “They were dead-ends, so we thought it would be much more interesting if the films dropped you off into something you could participate in.” Rowles described the process as “super collaborative,” adding, “Between Samsung and Marvel, they were really open to doing something new…and creating a gift for fans of the Avengers, so they are able to geek out on even more through these mobile initiatives. That to me is the sticky part.”
Forget about pre-order day for the Apple Watch. It’s also launch day for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, which means ads for the smartphone are rolling out all over the world.
The two most notable spots come from Cheil U.K. and 72andSunny for the U.K. and global markets, respectively. The Cheil spot stars James Corden twice over—as himself and his alter ego, an obnoxious commercial director named Wilf Meltson. It’s the kind of self-aware celebrity-pitchman work we’ve seen a lot lately, even if Corden doesn’t get as self-hating or downright scornful as Neil Patrick Harris or Ricky Gervais.
72andSunny’s spot, meanwhile, eschews the comical for the aspirational, suggesting the Galaxy S6 is about feeling more alive “when possibility becomes reality, when the future becomes real.”
There’s plenty of other Galaxy S6 work to check out, too, not just from Samsung but from its carrier partners as well—for example, this new mcgarrybowen spot for Verizon Wireless.
DDB Stockholm followed up Samsung’s “Is This the Next” campaign with a series of spots featuring those who deal in predicting the future promoting the new Samsung Galaxy S6.
Among these is Orange, a harbor seal at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, Connecticut, who has a penchant for predicting events like the Oscars and the Super Bowl. In a 2:30 online spot, viewers are introduced to Orange, who then makes some predictions about Samsung’s new device via selecting random technical specs scattered throughout her environment. Her predictions include “Fast charging,” “Flat on both sides,” and “Camera with 10MP front, 1 MP back.” Following the predictions, the text “Prediction time is over” appears onscreen, followed by the “Next Is Now” tagline. Two other spots in the “Predicting the Next” campaign feature human psychic Barbara Mackey and astrologer Michael Lutin. All of the spots were shot on location without actors.
The effort is just part of the Samsung’s huge “Next Is Now” global campaign pushing the new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, which also includes the 60-second “Anticipation” spot from 72andSunny.
72andSunny launched a global campaign for Samsung, entitled “Next Is Now,” introducing the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge with the 60-second spot “Anticipation.”
The opening of the spot focuses on moments of anticipation: the curtain about to go up on a ballet, the line of scrimmage before the snap, the second before drop on an amusement park ride, British singer-songwriter Rita Ora in the studio about to record. These scenes are chosen to stand in for the reveal of the new Galaxy S6, which the brand undoubtedly feels for what it characterizes in AdAge as one of its biggest launches in recent years. Around the midway point of the ad, someone opens a box containing the new device, and the remainder of the spot focuses on its moments of anticipation being fulfilled. The global effort also includes digital, experiential, OOH and retail efforts.
Samsung teased the release of the S6 last month, with a 30-second spot from McKinney. 72andSunny’s most recent effort for the cleint was a pair of 90-second ads promoting Samsung’s SUHD TVs for the Oscars starring Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele.
With the mid-April release date of the Samsung Galaxy S6 looming, Durham, NC’s McKinney has launched the above spot to tease the new smartphone, which opts for metal and glass over the old plastic body design.
Call it “smartphone porn” if you must, but McKinney (with the help of Santa Monica-based VFX house ArsenalFX) uses its 30 seconds effectively to introduce “the next big thing” in an almost sexy fashion.
Ashley Hydrick, ArsenalFX executive producer, offers a little behind-the-scenes info, saying:
“This spot was shot practically with light reflections in camera using prisms and jewel tones. The trick with this project for us was to do cleanup and compositing around the light flares, replacing them to still look and feel realistic. Also the end tag (which looks like CG) was actually stitched together in Flame using previous shots of the phones resized and composited together in one shot.”
Showboating aside, let’s see how Samsung reacts to already-common complaints about the S6’s lack of a removable battery (among other things).
Agency: McKinney (NC)
AD: Alex Nassour
Agency Producer: Naomi Newman
Director: Mikon van Gastel
Production Co: White Label
Editors: Katz / Tessa Davis
Cosmo Street Editorial
VFX : ArsenalFX
VFX Producer: Shannon Sweeney
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