Samsung hires protesters against Apple

Written by

Taylor Wimberly:

We know Samsung has an unhealthy obsession with Apple, but this is getting a little weird. This week in Australia, Samsung hired a marketing agency called Tongue to conduct some kind of guerrilla marketing campaign where they sent a bus of protesters to an Apple store and taunted people with the message “WAKE UP.”

Here’s an idea: just make products that don’t copy everything Apple does.



  • http://twitter.com/mynameisseb Sebastian Atwater

    Wouldn’t it make sense for them to not dress all those people exactly the same?

    Good job, Samsung. 

    • http://twitter.com/sirfucious Srini Rajan

      No, I think they were aiming for more of a buzz campaign than a covert one. Dressing people differently works efficiently over a period of time but sending a busload of people with a clear message stands out more in the immediate mindset. Also, many times when an agency is contracted, the client (Samsung) gives only the objective/s (brand awareness in this case), and any strategies and marketing methods (like a bus full of people) is entirely up to the agency.

      All that aside, I think it would be better for any company to focus on its strengths instead of going after the competition’s flaws.

      • http://twitter.com/salvodan salvodan

        I think Sebastian was referring to the hippocracy of an identically dressed flock accusing Apple users of being sheep.

  • D Pauw

    Wake up to the convenience of your new toaster fridge!

  • http://crizzo.me Christopher

    It just shows how jealous Samsumthing really is. 

  • satcomer

    Why are they protesting Apple? Didn’t Tim say that he wants to settle the litigation?

    • D Pauw

      Only if Samsung abandons their current business model for mobile devices (i.e. rip everyone off).

    • lucascott

      apparently it wasn’t a protest so much as a lame attempt at a ‘flash mob’ (media: you keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means) to advertise for some new phone or tablet they are releasing. 

      THere’s a website with a countdown to the release day. 

      oh and I love the blogger that just happened to be there at just the right time to see it all. yeah right. 

  • MacsenMcBain

    This nonsense is supposed to endear Samsung to Apple customers and convince them to switch?

    • djr

      It’s a dumb campaign, that’s a given.

      But it may not even be about converting those people in to Samsung customers, but instead about making existing Samsung customers feel good about their purchase. Make them feel part of a special group, specifically “not one of those losers”.

      I.e. trying to rally their own cult following.

      Of course they come across as sad, obsessed weirdos (Samsung, not the people employed to do this), but I’m sure they feel righteous.

      • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

        The campaign will get headlines that influence commenters on tech blogs that hate Apple for any spurious reason.

        • http://twitter.com/djr Dave¾

          Which in itself isn’t that terrible an idea. There is obviously an “anybody but Apple” contingent out there, and the Android landscape is one where you need to do something to create an identity beyond your hardware and (base) software. Hence all the crappy vendor-made launchers, but also hence campaigns like this where Samsung is clearly trying to endear themselves to this particular crowd.

          (Still doesn’t change the ass-clownishness of this sort of behaviour, in which people who are over the age of 10 are calling people sheep. Which I know sounds awfully like a tone argument, but Sebastian Atwater has already pointed out the really weird inconsistency in the messaging of this campaign.)

          (edit for clarity: I’m djr, and am sometimes too lazy/unable to log into Disqus properly)

          • http://twitter.com/Moeskido Moeskido

            I disagree; I think it’s a terrible idea because it ignores real-world issues and lowers the general level of public discourse. It’s cheap and lazy.

            We want more smart consumers out there who can call companies like Samsung on crap like this.

          • His Shadow

            I think it’s clear from Android tablet sales that the “Anybody But Apple” demographic is not worth chasing. 

  • ShawnL

    A bunch of Apple customers get harassed at the Apple Store by Samsung. Okay, they weren’t likely to buy Samsung phones or tablets, but they might remember the treatment when they go to buy some other consumer electronics device that Samsung makes.

    “A Samsung TV? No, those guys are jerks, lets look at another brand.”

  • Player_16

    They were thinking different; so different, they forgot to include ‘Samsung’ in their protest theme… or I can’t see it.

  • http://twitter.com/torkelh Torkel

    I’ve walked past one of those “Wake Up” signs on the way to work since last week. I thought it was a government sponsored ad to warn motorists not to drive while tired.

  • thinkpadfan

    you do know it was rim by now, right? r.i.m. as in r.i.m.j.o.b.