The thing about sheep
There’s something especially grating (for lack of a better word) about Samsung’s brand new teaser. I don’t want to spoil it for you, so go ahead and watch. The “grating” part should stick out like a black sheep. Here’s the link.
Sure, you say, but Apple’s been doing that for years. It wasn’t that long ago that “I’m a Mac” and “I’m a PC” ads were mired in mini-controversy and pissing off PC enthusiasts all over the globe. But there’s an important difference.
The difference was Apple was anthropomorphizing two different products - a Mac and a PC. The focus was on the products, not the people using them (even if the implication was that you could be “cool” with one and stiff with another). But more importantly, those ads relied on playful ribbing, not a defenseless smack-down. (But feel free to disagree with me.)
Standing out
Samsung’s marketing team seems all too eager to settle for bashing iPhone users as brainless sheep. As they’ve done again and again and again. Meanwhile, Samsung has made some amazing phones (including one I called the best cell phone in the US). So why not focus on things like critical acclaim?
Samsung desperately wants iPhone users. Everyone does. But nobody is going to shame Apple users into wanting a Samsung Galaxy. Calling them sheep is an ugly cheap shot, that even Samsung knows isn’t true.
By pissing off [insert your favorite phone manufacturer] users, Samsung makes enemies out of prospective consumers. Those enemies are all too eager to find chinks in your own armor, and lambast you in front of everyone for it.
Follow the leader
Take this rather incriminating (but not particularly compelling) infographic, which surfaced in the comments of the Verge’s teaser write up, via Verge commenter baRRy boRRis. Instead of focusing on the inevitability of an amazing new phone’s release, the comments are a minefield of people upset with Samsung for the sucker punch.
The list does go on, but it doesn’t change the fact that I cannot wait for the Next Galaxy. I love competition in the phone space, and the next Galaxy (likely the Samsung Galaxy SIII), may likely re-set the bar for all mobile phones. But if Samsung thinks it can win my affection by making me feel stupid for having a competing product, they’re in for a rude surprise.
