As part of The Drum’s Consumer Technology Focus, we use insights from Kantar’s Marketplace, an automated market research platform, to show the impact of ads from Samsung, Google and LG.
With so much choice available to tech-savvy consumers, promoting the latest innovative products has never been more important. In an increasingly saturated market, brands are under enormous pressure to stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of a demanding audience.
This means pushing the boundaries of creativity to not only promote cutting-edge devices, but also build an emotional connection with consumers. It’s no longer enough to simply showcase the latest specs and features; successful campaigns need to resonate personally and demonstrate real-world relevance.
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Technology is so ingrained in our everyday lives that generating excitement around new product launches or upgrades is particularly challenging, so brands must find new, compelling ways to communicate why their products matter in a world where technology is ubiquitous.
To truly stand out, brands need to think beyond traditional narratives and focus on how technology enriches lifestyles, increases productivity or enables new experiences.
Challenges for consumer tech brands
From an effectiveness perspective, one hurdle is creating strong brand memories. Consumer technology ads tend to underperform when it comes to branding. “They have a difficult task on their hands as they struggle with the challenge of dual branding: advertisers need to effectively promote both their product and their overarching brand, which in the technology space can mean completely different brand names,” says Vera Sidlova, Global Creative Thought Leadership Director at Kantar.
“In addition, the complexity of consumer technology ads can sometimes overwhelm or confuse viewers. Another area where improvement is possible is gender representation, as many technology ads fail to portray both men and women positively.
“Consumer technology advertising captures viewers’ attention and highlights the latest innovations in devices such as smartphones and smart home technology. The challenge, however, is communicating messages about product features in a way that conveys the importance and value they bring to people’s lives.”
Here we take a closer look at brands that are performing well in this sector.
Samsung “Galaxy Ecosystem” by Cheil
This Samsung ad takes on the challenge of promoting an entire product line, an approach rare in the tech industry, which often highlights individual products rather than the ecosystem as a whole.
The spot highlights the interconnectedness of the brand’s devices, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and earphones, and shows how seamlessly they work together to simplify users’ lives.
Samsung: “The Freestyle Projector” by Cheil
The introductory film for Samsung’s Freestyle projector focuses on the product’s flexibility and portability, vividly demonstrating various ways the projector can transform everyday situations into fun and meaningful experiences.
Whether users are enjoying a movie night with friends or creating an immersive atmosphere at home, the Freestyle is positioned as more than just a tech gadget. This emotional appeal helps consumers look beyond the functionality of the product and see how it can enrich their daily lives, which in turn makes the ad more memorable and impactful.
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Google: “Chromebook” from R/GA Berlin
Google’s digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaign for Chromebooks conveys multiple use cases in a short, attention-grabbing format. The ad stands out because it maintains a balance between showcasing the device’s core features and creative functionality.
LG Kitchen: “The Advocate for Abnormal Food” by TBWA
This LG ad takes a quirky approach, using stop-motion animation to tell a heartwarming story about a local man who saves food from going to waste and attracts animal friends in the process. The effectiveness of the ad lies in its ability to connect on both a rational and emotional level, helping to build long-term brand affinity.
Samsung and Google: “The future unfolds” by Consigliere
Samsung and Google’s joint campaign for the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is a prime example of a successful product demonstration. The ad integrates the brands’ offerings by showing how the foldable screen expands Google’s software capabilities.
It features the use of elegant, simple movements to demonstrate the device’s innovative folding feature combined with Google’s user interface. This effective co-branding strategy not only highlights the benefits of the folding mechanism, but also reinforces the consumer’s perception of both brands as leaders in tech innovation.
