Samsung Exploits Apple Lawsuits in Savvy Marketing Strategy

[Michael Essany]

Some marketing gurus tonight are giving major props to Samsung for how the consumer electronics giant is trying to win PR points off of Apple's myriad lawsuits against the company with regard to its Galaxy Tab line.

Samsung has released an advertising barrage for the Galaxy Tab 10.1, including an eye-catching newspaper ad with the following message emblazoned across it: "The tablet Apple tried to stop."

In recent months, Apple has sought diligently to block the sale of Samsung's tablet in accordance with Apple's belief that the product is a blatant rip-off of the iPad. Samsung, however, in a very twisted, quirky way seems to have benefited from the legal fuss - at least in terms of how more people are now familiar with the iPad rival.

"At the end of the day the media awareness certainly made the Galaxy Tab 10.1 a household name compared to probably what it would've been based on the investment that we would've put into it from a marketing perspective," Typer McGee, Samsung Australia vice president of telecommunications, tells The Sydney Morning Herald.

As the publication subsequently noted, Samsung's tablet will hit stores in Australia this week after last Friday's ruling in a Sydney court that effectively denied Apple's request to carry out a ban on sales of the Galaxy Tab.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

[Zokunei]

That doesn't seem like very good marketing. There's nothing about that ad that makes me want to buy it.

[KraXik]

Pretty sure Samsung tried banning the iPad. Talk about one rule for one and one rule for another. Tut tut.

[GmAz]

That doesn't seem like very good marketing. There's nothing about that ad that makes me want to buy it.

Then you have no sense of marketing.

[Zokunei]

Then you have no sense of marketing.

I have the sense of being a consumer, this isn't going to work. "The tablet Apple tried to stop" has nothing to do with the product itself, and is lost on the vast majority of potential buyers.
Tech savvy people will overlook this for the specs and OS, and average people will just ask around for a good tablet.
The best marketing is to either make a good product to get word of mouth on your side, or make your product at least sound good on its own merit.

[Colby21]

Then you have no sense of marketing.

lol "Sense of marketing"

like it's a 6th sense or something.

[jOnGarrett]

any benefits from this advertisement will only be short term. Im sure apple will pay it no mind. those commercials however are what's really got people talking.

[trek-life]

Then you have no sense of marketing.

Officially the stupidest thing said on this site in 2011.

[OctopusPrime]

lol "Sense of marketing"

like it's a 6th sense or something.

GmAz is right - the point of marketing is to appeal to a broader audience. Zokunei also has a valid point, although he, along with the majority of others who frequent this Apple fan site, are not the intended marketing target.

I, on the other hand, love Android as much as I do IOS. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. In our household, there are 4 IOS devices and 2 Android devices. That said, I think this particular marketing strategy is brilliant. In fact, I am now considering purchasing the Galaxy Tab since I can get it and the Galaxy SII Skyrocket for ~$600

[NakedFaerie]

I think its great. So the lawsuit from Apple has backfired.
I didn't want a galaxy Tab till Apple complained about it now I want one. if its that good that crApple try to sue them to stop it getting sold it must be better than the iPad.

Its like "bite the hand that feed you" as dont Samsung make the screens for the iPad? They should just stop making them then see how Apple feel about that.

[Zokunei]

I think its great. So the lawsuit from Apple has backfired.
I didn't want a galaxy Tab till Apple complained about it now I want one. if its that good that crApple try to sue them to stop it getting sold it must be better than the iPad.

Its like "bite the hand that feed you" as dont Samsung make the screens for the iPad? They should just stop making them then see how Apple feel about that.

Money is also made with the screens. So what you're saying is, "They should stop making money then see how Apple feels about that."

[lauriellis13]

**** samsung

[Zokunei]

GmAz is right - the point of marketing is to appeal to a broader audience. Zokunei also has a valid point, although he, along with the majority of others who frequent this Apple fan site, are not the intended marketing target.

I, on the other hand, love Android as much as I do IOS. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. In our household, there are 4 IOS devices and 2 Android devices. That said, I think this particular marketing strategy is brilliant. In fact, I am now considering purchasing the Galaxy Tab since I can get it and the Galaxy SII Skyrocket for ~$600

The target audience doesn't get anything new from this ad though. That is, if what you're saying is the target audience is people who already know Apple tried to stop this tablet?

[trek-life]

GmAz is right - the point of marketing is to appeal to a broader audience. Zokunei also has a valid point, although he, along with the majority of others who frequent this Apple fan site, are not the intended marketing target.

I, on the other hand, love Android as much as I do IOS. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. In our household, there are 4 IOS devices and 2 Android devices. That said, I think this particular marketing strategy is brilliant. In fact, I am now considering purchasing the Galaxy Tab since I can get it and the Galaxy SII Skyrocket for ~$600

The problem with childish marketing is that you are always stating the name of your competition. In this case Apple started it, but when you're selling a serious product you want to rise above the rest as though they don't exist. That's the best marketing one can apply.

There's nothing "wrong" with childish marketing per se, but the bottom line is that if your product can't stand on it's own 2 feet it'll never matter.

I'm not particularly a product or brand loyalist. I prefer to use products that are simple and heavily feature loaded, IF Samsung provides these types of products, i'm actually turned off by their marketing. Similar to how I was turned off to Apples young guy vs old guy Windows marketing.

[cockyjeremy]

"The tablet Apple tried to stop.. because we stole their ideas." Nice marketing.

[arCyn1c]

"The tablet Apple tried to stop.. because we stole their ideas." Nice marketing.

^^^^^^ +1 ^^^^^^

[RICO_]

I don't know about you all, but the mere fact that Apple is trying so hard to stop this tablet makes me wonder what is so remarkable about it that would make Apple deem it a threat?

[arCyn1c]

I don't know about you all, but the mere fact that Apple is trying so hard to stop this tablet makes me wonder what is so remarkable about it that would make Apple deem it a threat?

I don't think they saw it as a major threat in any way. Wouldn't you be annoyed if you wrote a paper, and someone, rather than writing their own, copied yours (without your permission) to turn in? Regardless of whether you actually believe Samsung copied Apple, Apple believed it. Therefore, they sued, just as you might bring the copied essay to your teacher's attention.

[sziklassy]

Pretty sure Samsung tried banning the iPad. Talk about one rule for one and one rule for another. Tut tut.

What are you actually trying to say by this statement?

The problem with childish marketing is that you are always stating the name of your competition. In this case Apple started it, but when you're selling a serious product you want to rise above the rest as though they don't exist. That's the best marketing one can apply.

There's nothing "wrong" with childish marketing per se, but the bottom line is that if your product can't stand on it's own 2 feet it'll never matter.

I'm not particularly a product or brand loyalist. I prefer to use products that are simple and heavily feature loaded, IF Samsung provides these types of products, i'm actually turned off by their marketing. Similar to how I was turned off to Apples young guy vs old guy Windows marketing.

So, serious question now. Is "childish marketing" an actual term used in business and defined in the way you just defined it here for us, or is this just some term (and definition) that you made up?

I don't think they saw it as a major threat in any way. Wouldn't you be annoyed if you wrote a paper, and someone, rather than writing their own, copied yours (without your permission) to turn in? Regardless of whether you actually believe Samsung copied Apple, Apple believed it. Therefore, they sued, just as you might bring the copied essay to your teacher's attention.

I don't know if I believe that. What I can easily believe, is Apple being willing to do anything they can to crush the competition. Until very recently, Apple has never been on top. They like being king of the ring and will not hand over the belt if they can help it.

[dmbkiwi]

"The tablet Apple tried to stop.. because we stole their ideas." Nice marketing.

If, by "ideas", you mean a rectangular form factor and a black bezel ... Stop drinking the cool-aid. I'm an owner of an iPad and an iPhone, but I can tell ******** when I see it. Those are not "ideas".