electronics

Samsung's Campaign Focuses On Football Fans

Samsung NFL Samsung Electronics America turns the screen and cameras on football fans to create an integrated marketing campaign about the passion for the game. It marks the first time the company has put the focus on fans rather than the HD technology that has made its flat-screen TVs top sellers.

As the official HDTV sponsor for the National Football League (NFL), Samsung's campaign gives fans the opportunity to tell their stories in a commercial that is set to run during the Super Bowl.

Beginning Sept. 4 in New York, a truck equipped as a mobile video studio will tour the U.S., stopping at stadiums and retail stores. Through the "Super Ad: That's How I See It" tour, Samsung invites fans inside the semi to express their passion for the NFL by detailing pre-game rituals or defining moments in football history on camera.

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A group of selected videos will be posted at www.nfl.com/superad from Nov. 20 through Jan. 4, where visitors can vote for their favorite stories. One fan video will become a commercial scheduled to air during the pre-game show prior to Super Bowl XLIII on NBC on Feb. 1.

The tagline, "How I See It," is a "declaration of individuality" that Samsung hopes will inspire football fans to share. It sends a message that the HDTV market leader understands their passion for the game, says Peggy Ang, Samsung Electronics America vice president of marketing. "We realize that for 45 million fans the football experience is watching the game through the television set, not through live engagement at stadiums," she says. "Few fans get to see the game live."

Ang says Samsung wants the picture clear and sharp, so each fan watching the game from home can see the details of every play and touchdown or when the coach gets the bucket of Gatorade dumped on his head.

Samsung also launched a microsite where fans can see consumer-generated ads and get purchasing advice from celebrities and athletes. Soon, they will also be able to send customized emails and pre-recorded phone messages by Alice Cooper, Regis Philbin or an NFL player to loved ones in order to convince them that they need a new Samsung HDTV.

Toward the end of September, consumers will have an option to create their own clips and share them on the site. Samsung will add content and features, such as an interactive product demonstration, as the season progresses.

Working with Leo Burnett, Samsung has created four "That's How I See It" personal stories that began running this week. The four TV spots show how fans experience the NFL when watching the game. The ads talk about how the picture quality, design and new features of Samsung Touch of Color HDTVs enhance that experience.

The spots aim to pull on the heart strings. "Ted 74" looks at the 11-time Fantasy Football champion who watches three Samsung TVs at once to gain key information and insights that keep him on top. "Yeller" describes the story of identical twins--one who yells at his TV and the other who finds ways to cope with his brother. "Manhood by the Horns" demonstrates the relationship between a father and son and the rite of passage of passing the remote to watch their beloved team together for the first time. "Beautiful Addition" describes a woman realizing the meaning of true perfection through the addition of a design-friendly Touch of Color TV.

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