Why is this work relevant for PR?

The Galaxy Unpacked microsite we developed for the launch of Samsung’s new flagship device in February was designed to be the authoritative source for all information and assets on the brand’s new Galaxy S10 lineup. Given heightened media interest in Samsung’s new products at the time, it was imperative to curate content and build a conduit for seamless delivery of product information as well as provide an impactful framework for storytelling by journalists. The microsite also armed media with photos, footage, and GIFs they may need for coverage to ensure the right types of assets were being spotlighted.

Background

The Galaxy S10 was launched in time for the Samsung Galaxy brand’s 10th anniversary. Following months of rumors, leaks and speculation from the media, Samsung faced a unique challenge of having to reveal its new product in the most effective and powerful way to media worldwide. To support these efforts, we worked to build a controlled narrative and deliver information about the new phones simultaneously to all media around world. One of the other goals of this campaign was to craft the visual identity of the devices in media coverage to create a unified look and feel across the board, whilst highlighting some of the most innovative features behind the device.

Describe the creative idea (20% of vote)

As explaining and contextualizing the significance of the Galaxy S10 was our primary goal, we produced a mixture of multimedia assets to highlight the technological innovations behind the S10 by way of what we dubbed an Interactive Press Release. The design and execution of the microsite focused on illustrating and translating complex engineering concepts, and we weaved these vignettes into an overarching innovation narrative to further emphasize Samsung’s long-term commitment to pushing the mobile industry forward. Making the concrete user benefits of the new device relevant to consumers was another challenge we faced in the design process of the microsite. Since the Galaxy S10 lineup offered many first-of-its-kind features, including a 5G device, we settled on a visual strategy to explain the device’s core functionalities. Through a combination of lifestyle images, GIFs, and motion graphics, we created a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the Galaxy S10’s performance in everyday settings.

Describe the strategy (30% of vote)

The Galaxy S10 line presented a unique challenge for developing a communication strategy. Not only did we have to sell the idea of a new flagship device, we had to ensure our audience understood how the products differed from each other. Using the Samsung Mobile Press platform, we created a landing page dedicated to the line and developed unique assets that highlighted exactly how the phones worked. The URL to this site was shared with media through the product's main press release. Assets for the new devices were designed for both tech and lifestyle media to include in their stories about the device. The site went live on the same day as the Unpacked event.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

We launched an interactive microsite for our global audience – both journalists and consumers, aimed at building anticipation and allowing them to get the most accurate pre-release depiction of Samsung’s newest smartphone lineup. Elaborate and thorough planning began three months ahead of the event, during which means to ensure the site’s performance as a hub for distributing appropriate resources/visual assets were discussed. Because the site tends to reach hundreds of thousands of pageviews during the Unpacked event, it also had to be designed in a way to provide intuitive access to materials and accommodate all visitors from around the globe.

List the results (30% of vote) – must include at least two of the following tiers:

As of 30 days after Unpacked, the Samsung Mobile Press and connected microsite logged a combined 4-fold increase in pageviews compared to the same campaign for the Galaxy S9/S9+ unveiled a year ago. The S10 Interactive Press Release saw over 16,000 downloads in visual assets directly from the page.