• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, September 15, 2011

Samsung Mobile's decision to tap YouTube star FreddieW as part of its campaign for the U.S. launch of its new flagship Galaxy S II smartphone appears to be paying off. "Gamer Commute" -- the latest video from FreddieW, shot in part with the Samsung device to highlight its 1080p video recording ability -- has garnered nearly 5.5 million views and 18,000 comments since debuting last Saturday.

The video featuring the goofy YouTube persona created by filmmakers Freddie Wong and Brandon Laatsch doesn't include an overt product placement for the phone. But an overlay ad for the Galaxy S II appears at the bottom of the screen and a companion banner ad for the phone runs along side it. The final frame of the video also bears a message acknowledging Samsung for use of Galaxy phones, and a link to a making-of video showing how the devices were used in filming.

Enlisting FreddieW on behalf of Samsung was its digital agency Digitas, which has commissioned talent agency Collective Digital Studios and Wong and Laatsch to produce a series of viral videos using the device.

Paul Kontonis, vice president/group director of brand content at Digitas, said the pair was chosen specifically because their expertise in gaming and entertainment was a natural fit with the multimedia capabilities that Galaxy S II Samsung is trying to promote.

Starting next week, the campaign will get wider exposure when Samsung runs a masthead ad on the YouTube home page with clips from the FreddieW video. The character has emerged as a YouTube sensation in the last year, with the FreddieW channel racking up 40 million views a month and drawing 2.1 million subscribers. A FreddieW2 channel has also been added.

Other marketers tapping FreddieW to create promotional viral videos include Sony, video game company Codemasters and Universal Pictures for the summer release "Cowboys & Aliens." In addition to paid media on YouTube, the Galaxy S II digital effort also includes promotion on Samsung-owned media, such as a dedicated microsite, and its presence on Facebook and other social-media outlets.

The Android-powered Samsung phone has already sold more than 5 million units in Asia and Europe since April before going on sale Friday in the U.S. It will be available through Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile. So far, it has drawn strong early reviews from tech experts here and favorable comparisons to the iPhone.