Packed Full of History: Here’s how Samsung redefined unboxings in 2024…
| From the desk of Miles Everson: I’m thrilled to highlight yet another campaign in today’s edition of “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!” For those of you who may not know, guerrilla marketing is an out-of-the-box strategy that empowers marketers to use unconventional strategies when engaging with their target audience. I’m a fan of this tactic because it exemplifies just how impactful unconventional campaigns can be. For today’s case study, I’ll be putting the spotlight on a campaign that placed a unique spin on smartphone unboxings. Curious? Keep reading below! |
The smartphone era, which has been said to have begun with the iPhone’s introduction in 2007, has delivered so much hype to consumer electronics. Each release cycle has been met with anticipation by fans and industry observers and the likes. To live up to this hype, smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and Apple have spent years trying to one-up each other in their respective product launches. Most of the attention for these launches have revolved around catchy promotional commercials, lavish launch events, and attention-grabbing marketing campaigns and stunts. However, there’s an aspect to product launches and the resulting buying experience that tends to fly under the radar. We’re referring to the unboxing experience. Sure, the unboxing experience may be the least of a buyer’s worries, but it plays a crucial role in forming a mental connection and positive association with a brand. With product cycles becoming tighter and launches turning into more extravagant affairs, the unboxing experience has grown stale, and even downright ignored. In a hyper competitive smartphone landscape, every advantage a brand can get over its competitors is worth pursuing, even if that involves the often-ignored unboxing experience. That’s why in 2024, Samsung decided to put a unique spin on the unboxing experience for one of its flagship offerings. How? You’ll have to keep reading below to find out …
An Unboxing “Packed” Full of History 2024 was an important year for Samsung. The smartphone maker was in the midst of a product launch cycle for its Galaxy flagship offerings and its midrange and budget product lines. The Galaxy product line, by virtue of its flagship positioning, received the most attention and effort from Samsung as it sought to outdo Apple’s formidable iPhone. One of the ways that Samsung sought to outdo its competitor was in the realm of unboxing. To do this, the smartphone maker partnered with creative agency Clemenger BBDO. So, what did these collaborators come up with? As part of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s product launch, Clemenger BBDO and Samsung launched a campaign that put Samsung’s history front and center in the unboxing experience. A special edition of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (which includes the phone and other peripherals) was sent to influencers and smartphone reviewers. The box containing the smartphone was inspired by Samsung’s roots as a grocery store that first opened in Daegu, South Korea in 1938.
The special edition product box contained a catalogue detailing Samsung’s history. The company’s original logo and other iconography related to its history adorned the catalogue. Recipients were also given a personalized receipt. Aside from these things, included in this box was a personalized receipt,the Galaxy S24 Ultra wrapped in a carton of milk, a fast charging cable inside a package of instant noodles, and a Galaxy SmartTag2 found inside a can of mackerel.
Everything included in the package was written in Korean to stay true to Samsung’s roots. However, this presented a problem to recipients: What if they weren’t familiar with the language? To make everything written understandable even to non-Koreans, recipients of the special edition of the Galaxy S24 Ultra were encouraged to use its AI-powered translator. All they had to do was point the phone’s camera at the package and its inclusions to understand everything written in Korean.
So, was all the effort worth it? The campaign delivered the following results:
On top of these strong results, the campaign won awards from prestigious awards-giving bodies like D&AD and The One Show. — Samsung Australia’s attempt at putting another spin on the unboxing experience clearly succeeded. By putting an unconventional spin on an often-ignored aspect of the smartphone experience, Samsung was able to generate hype for its brand and its fans, all while putting the brand’s rich history front and center. So, if you’re looking for ways to capture eyeballs and generate buzz for your brand, Samsung’s campaign is definitely something you can take inspiration from! Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how one campaign “shot” through apathy in Mexico? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
