3D TV REVOLUTION

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Live Events and or Celebrity endorsement
Advertiser: SAMSUNG
Product/Service: 3D LED TVS
Senior Vice President of Marketing Group of Visual Display and head of Global Marketing Operation: Sue Shim (Samsung Electronics)
Director of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: YS Kim (Samsung Electronics)
Senior Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: Sonia Kim (Samsung Electronics)
Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: HeeSeung Lee (Samsung Electronics)
Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: MinChul Kim (Samsung Electronics)
Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: Chris Ha (Samsung Electronics)
A. Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: Joon Lim (Samsung Electronics)
A. Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: Thomas Han (Samsung Electronics)
A. Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: HJ Choi (Samsung Electronics)
A. Manager of Marketing Communications of Visual Display: Sonya Jung (Samsung Electronics)
Executive Vice President: Tim Fry (Weber Shandwick)
President, Global Consumer: Lisa Sepulveda (Weber Shandwick)
Executive Vice President: Peter Campisi (Weber Shandwick)
Senior Vice President: Brooke Shepard (Weber Shandwick)
Account Supervisor: Jennifer Zaitz (Weber Shandwick)
Executive Vice President , Managing Director: Tara Back (Jack Morton)
Senior Vice President, Creative Strategist: Matt Jones (Jack Morton)
Senior Vice President, Creative Director: Philip McDougall (Jack Morton)
Executive Producer: Kristine Smith (Jack Morton)
Strategy & Planning Coordinator: Alison Ebers (Jack Morton)
Media placement: News Media - 4000 placements from Newsweek to CNN International - 9 March 2010

Summary of the Campaign
When it came to globally launching Samsung’s 3D TVs, Samsung faced several challenges. The company needed to secure industry leadership with its first-to-market 3D LED TV model, win consumers, and communicate the excitement of 3D TV to a global audience. Realising that the new ability to watch TV in 3D is the most dynamic change in the television industry since TVs moved from black and white to colour, the goal became to physically bring the 3D TV experience to life, and liberate television content into a new dimension. Samsung collaborated with world-renowned musicians and filmmakers, enlisting The Black Eyed Peas to perform a surprise concert in Times Square that was filmed in 3D by James Cameron’s film crew from Avatar. As a result, Samsung created a performance that not only surprised New York City, but also reverberated with more than two-and-a-half billion people around the world. The collaborative effort created new 3D content exclusively for Samsung TV’s, built a public spectacle in the middle of New York City that was second only to New Year’s Eve, and drove engagement with consumers and key audiences from movie-goers to movie moguls. It was the start of a movement.

The Goal
• INTRODUCE Samsung’s 3D LED TV as being first to global market • INCREASE awareness of Samsung leadership in 3D, LED TV and the TV industry • ELEVATE Samsung as a global leader in home entertainment and 3D • CELEBRATE the ‘liberation’ of content by 3D TV

Results
The results surpassed all Samsung’s goals. More than 2.4 billion impressions were delivered, and the PR team generated traditional and social media coverage with more than 4,000 media placements in every major global market, including outlets such as Associated Press, The New York Times, Newsweek, People, The Korea Times, The Guardian, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, BBC, MTV, Telemundo and more. During launch week, Samsung 3D TVs were featured on Good Morning America, CNN International, and in thousands of stories and thousands of individual tweets viewed by consumers. Most of all, Samsung gained the endorsement of key influencers, taking leadership of the 3D TV movement. As James Cameron remarked on stage at the performance, "When you look back 10 years from now, you will be able to say, 'I was there. I was there in the centre of the whole wide world when the future began.’ Right here, tonight".

Execution
On March 9, the team drove a 100+ attendee press conference announcing availability of Samsung 3D TVs globally and exclusive 3D movies from DreamWorks Animation, creating early momentum addressing a key question – the availability of 3D content. On March 10, the team topped its previous news by orchestrating the biggest surprise concert in Times Square history. After a day filled with street performances by Samsung B-boys, Samsung Visual Display Business Unit’s President Boo-Keun Yoon and 3D Director James Cameron introduced The Black Eyed Peas, who performed for a packed crowd of thousands. To create more 3D TV material, the performance was filmed in 3D by Cameron’s Avatar film crew. To wrap this momentous launch event, a red-carpet party featuring The Black Eyed Peas and James Cameron was held for media, with celebrity guests like Donald Trump, Hillary Duff and Andy Samberg, broadening the performance’s media coverage.

The Situation
Amidst a competitive landscape in the 3D LED TV marketplace where mainstream brands such as Sony, Panasonic and LG looked to claim leadership, Samsung was poised to be first-to-market. However, the industry faced a challenge in demonstrating to consumers that 3D content is available (and compelling) enough to warrant paying premium prices and changing their TV-watching behavior by wearing 3D glasses in their living rooms. As a result, Samsung needed to do more than launch a TV, it needed to launch a social movement, showcasing compelling 3D content and involving 3D advocates who would appeal to a mass audience.

The Strategy
• Transcend product-only news; position Samsung as changing the face of home entertainment with an unforgettable, can’t-miss approach to mark the global availability of Samsung 3D LED TV products • Counter a key concern about 3D TVs by creating more 3D video content for Samsung consumers • Help consumers experience the sensation of watching entertainment in 3D • Dominate the news by out-gunning the competition during launch week and beyond • Frame every story (both literally and figuratively) with the Samsung brand • Reach a global audience to raise awareness and excitement for Samsung 3D LED TVs