SAMSUNG-NDTV CAMERA PARTNERSHIP

Gold Spike

Case Film

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TitleSAMSUNG-NDTV CAMERA PARTNERSHIP
BrandSAMSUNG INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
Product / ServiceSAMSUNG SMARTPHONE CAMERAS
CategoryD01. Use of Brand or Product Integration into a Programme or Platform
EntrantLODESTAR UM Mumbai, INDIA
Idea Creation LODESTAR UM Mumbai, INDIA
Media Placement LODESTAR UM Mumbai, INDIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Shitij Gupta NDTV Channel Producer, NDTV
Hema Malik Lodestar UM Chief Operating Officer
Namita Sethi Lodestar UM Assistant Vice President

The Campaign

On TV, competitive brands were fuelling their SOV by promoting their ‘Camera Quality’. Samsung needed a disruptive strategy to break this clutter by adopting an innovative yet extremely effective strategy. We diligently studied our audience and drilled out actionable insights. Focused groups, research tools and audience archetypes revealed – ‘new technology lured early adopters’. Our proprietary research tool ‘Moments’ tapped into social listening to identify apropos touch-points. News and Digital emerged as leading platforms that helped them stay connected, informed and be Tech exhibitionists. News, as a medium, is treated seriously and consumed widely but provides little scope for innovation. Disrupting industry norms, we came up with a path breaking idea and partnered with NDTV- India’s first independent News Channels’ Network. Hence, was conceived an alliance between two brands, Samsung and NDTV, known to be innovative, trustworthy and leaders in their respective categories---NDTV content now being filmed on ‘Samsung Smartphones’.

Creative Execution

This paradigm shift saw a 3 months preparation period. Training on usage of this new technology happened across NDTV offices and verticals acquainting employees with the newly adopted set up, audio convergence and an app developed to transmit video recordings in real time. This method saved resources and helped provide faster, wider coverage, even in areas where bulky cameras couldn’t reach before. Use of this technology at World Economic Forum2018 at Davos, Elections were much-coveted feat. With logistics in place, multiple creative renditions and planned frequent presence on all possible formats with half million+ spots translating to 225Mn+ seconds, would ensure omnipresence through 356days. Bugs-‘Filmed on Samsung phones’ and Channel IDs ending ‘Now shot on Samsung phones’ became a constant on the network. On Digital, we would reach 65Mn people with a 24x7 presence of a widget on the homepage through the year.

What we had conceived as a brand idea could predictably become an industry breakthrough. The ease of using a phone camera has made reporting more dynamic and resource saving. Other networks have approached Samsung for trials. Our partnership with NDTV kicked off in H2 2017 and there has been a gradual build up with elements getting executed in a planned and phased manner. The initial phase has created buzz in the market and built the desired cognizance around 4K camera technology. A 2X increase in market share and a 3X gain in ‘Proud-to-own’ score (imagery matrix) within 3 months of implementation has ensured Samsung retained top spot as India’s most trusted brand. (Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/advertising/samsung-most-trusted-brand-tata-in-top-5-report/articleshow/63805605.cms) Influencers from technology space have been endorsing Samsung’s leadership in technology. This helped reiterate Samsung’s credentials as a pioneer in technology and see rapid rise in desirability.

Today consumers are fastidious. It takes a lot for them to trust a brand, more so to hold their attention. Retention requires trust and trust building requires actual, working and visible proof. In times where media is often accused of promoting false claims and misleading consumers, a work like this is an example of how actual brand credentials, when highlighted aptly in media, can deliver great results for the brand. Smart thinking, innovating and upholding credibility are imperative. Such campaigns deliver actual proofs and raise the bar!

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Camera Quality is crucial to handset purchase consideration. Samsung’s edge over other competitive brands was its ‘4k Camera technology’ that matched broadcast experience. This became the Hero of our media proposition. We collaborated with NDTV, one of India’s most credible and largest news networks, to create a revolution in media centering around content engagement. Inseparably embedding Samsung into NDTV’s content and creating talk-ability around 4K Camera technology, became our primary task. Samsung became NDTV’s News reporting partner with all news on NDTV being filmed on ‘Samsung Smartphones’. This was a big disruption as credibility of News channels lie in their camera footage. We created an Industry 1st where all NDTV cameras were replaced by Samsung flagship handsets – across studios and on-ground. All reporting, news feeds, videos and bulletins would be shot on Samsung phones making this ‘never done before’ innovation News.