Samsung Banks on ExM for Better Brand Connect via LIVE Events, VR Demos & More

by  Rakhi Jerly Marketing | August 2, 2016 | Feature

Samsung

South Korean tech giant Samsung has a firm foot in the Experiential Marketing space and banks on consumer engagement for maximum results from their marketing efforts. Speaking exclusively to Wall Street Journal, in a recent WSJ Media Mix podcast, Marc Mathieu — Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung Electronics America, stressed on this approach, confirming the company’s focus on ensuring “passion connects” with the consumers through various mediums.

“We need to make sure that whatever we do and whatever we put out there is authentic, and at the same time is something interesting enough that (consumers) are going to want to pick it up but also share it. It’s one of the things that pushes us to create marketing that is not just about telling but experiencing,” he says on the WSJ podcast.

Mathieu further elaborates that Samsung’s marketing strategy takes its attention beyond technology to people and culture, and thus creates relevant and personalised engagements. One way of doing this is tapping into popular culture, making concerts and LIVE events a part of “passion connects.”

At the beginning of this year, in February, Samsung Electronics America set up an event space cum showroom in New York City — Samsung 837, which the company describes as a “technology playground.” The idea is to encourage consumers to experience the products as well as share the same on social media, thereby multiplying the impact.

Another successful connection is Virtual Reality (VR). Not only does Samsung offers VR hardware to choose from, but also use the technology for new-age product demonstrations at their events and Samsung 837.

In the global scenario, nothing can bring greater visibility to the brand than its association with the Rio Olympics. As the Worldwide Sponsor of Rio 2016, Samsung has released a string of videos including inspiring athletes’ stories and more under the #DoWhatYouCant. A TVC featuring a mashup of national anthems has hit over 20 million views on Samsung’s official YouTube channel, alone. An exclusive Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games Edition and App was also launched.

Further, Galaxy Studios at venues all over Brazil also open its doors to consumers who can experience Galaxy S7 and Gear VR. The studios put your current smartphones alongside Samsung products to the test — with Low Light and Auto Focus Zones for evaluating camera performance; a water resistance fishing game; and VR Cinema 4D Zone.