Samsung Galaxy S2 ad takes the mick out of Apple fans

By Luke Westaway on 23 November 2011, 11:45am

Samsung has a new ad that pokes fun at Apple, and in particular the enthusiastic Apple fans who queue up to buy new iGadgets on day one. We've embedded the video below, so scroll down to check it out for yourself.

The ad doesn't mention Apple by name, but sees a gaggle of trendy youths queueing around the corner at an Apple-esque shop with nine hours to go until opening time, when they spot people nearby using Samsung's Galaxy S2 smart phone.

The Apple enthusiasts then marvel at the S2, in particular its massive screen and 4G speed -- something we don't get to enjoy because the UK is stuck on rubbish 3G for now.

We wouldn't normally pin Samsung as a company with much of a sense of humour, but this effort, spotted by Mashable, did make us chuckle. We especially liked this put down: "I could never get a Samsung, I'm creative." "Dude, you're a barista."

The fact that the Samsung Galaxy S2 is indeed a marvellous device will make this ad all the sweeter for Samsung and Android fans.

Crave is no stranger to Apple queues -- we've braved the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S overnight madness, as well as bringing you dead-of-night coverage of the iPad 2 launch.

It's entertaining to see Samsung taking a swipe at Apple like this, but the South Korean tech giant has a fight on its hands if it wants to take down the California-based company, as Apple's iPhone and iPad are phenomenally popular. Indeed, the biggest inaccuracy in Samsung's portrayal of the Apple fans is the relatively short length of the queue.

What do you think? Did the ad put a smile on your face? Tell us in the comments or over on Facebook.

Comments 41

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Peter Hudson 23 November, 2011 12:05

First of all, the screens on samsung phones in the add are simulated. I have one and there is no way they are that bright and deep in normal daylight.

Second. Like there is any way apple fans would ooh and ahh at an android phone

solua20 23 November, 2011 12:47

It's an advert!!! They have to tweak everything so that it's noticeable. As for apple fans, dunno about diehard ones but we do know a lot that have looked at our phones with envy, some even saying that they will not be replacing their iPhone with another one when the contract is up. Good advert, points out the positives without slagging off the competitor.

anonymous 23 November, 2011 13:32

I'm not a fan of the "Mac / PC" adverts, since they mainly comprise slagging off the other platform, but this seems like an even worse idea - insulting the users?!

anonymous 23 November, 2011 13:52

It is an excellent advert and very funny, but have you ever tried to tell someone who goes to church every Sunday that God is a myth?

This product will only reinforce their belief. Android was put on earth to test their loyalty.

anonymous 23 November, 2011 14:13

"Android was put on earth to test their loyalty"

Best. Comment. Ever.

anonymous 23 November, 2011 14:13

This advert is just awesome! I'm an apple fan (not fan-boy) and I just couldn't stop laughing. This should take the apple prophet off there high horse for a while. Well done Samsung

anonymous 23 November, 2011 19:40

If the ******** at samsung have nothing better to do than pick on a company that has done a lot better than them well shame on Sansung then. Apple does not do this to samsung.
The Galaxy S2 would not even exist if the iPhone wasn't launched. Google andriod would not exist, if iOS was not launched. Apps would not be seen in this way if the AppStore had not been launched. Andriod Tablets would not be there if the iPad had not been launched.

anonymous 23 November, 2011 20:30

Apple fan-boys have no sense of humour. That is the main reason this works, it gets a reaction off of them and look they are all of a sudden talking about Samsung phones. This ad does simply capture the many pathetic people who think that somehow they invented the iPhone themselves, I'll be honest I like iPhones - but I wouldn't get one, simply because everyone else who has one appears to be a tool. Again with no sense of humour and more apps than friends :)

anonymous 23 November, 2011 22:35

Its hardly insulting

anonymous 23 November, 2011 23:58

Obviously you need to get an iphone because it seems from your comment you dont care for android phones!!! By the way I have a Galaxy S2 and the screen is the best and most vivid!!! Hands down S2 is the best! iphone is just a popular choice not the best phone on the market. Check the specs.

anonymous 24 November, 2011 02:35

"but this seems like an even worse idea - insulting the users?". There is no insult. If there was an insult, you should count apple insulting more than 90% computer users who own a pc (Mac vs PC adds). If you can not take it, you should not do same to others as well. With everything apple invented it "mindset", surrounding apple fan boys, this is a perfect example to show there is a world outside apple. Anyways samsung galaxy s2 has already overtaken iphone in sales. That indicates there are people outside US, who really like galaxy s2.

anonymous 24 November, 2011 03:38

"iPhone wasn't launched. Google andriod would not exist" - Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, United States in October, 2003, ios and iphone 2007. Even though first android phone was 1 year late, wouldn't exist explains, where are you from.

Apps would not be seen in this way if the AppStore had not been launched - And I thought repositories were ideas of Linux to distribute latest software (as long as I can remember). Android being a Linux OS, they didn't need to learn it from apple, because they already have it from their ancestors. It is a new thing for apple (and you invented it right?)

anonymous 24 November, 2011 04:05

/Users/Jerry/Desktop/Unknown.jpeg
This is how android would have looked like if it wasn't for the iPhone. You would still be saving up for a phone that had color display.

anonymous 24 November, 2011 04:09

Sorry about the last photo. Here's the linkhttp://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1148929&start=80

Peter Frost 24 November, 2011 04:26

the clip made me chuckle, but not as much as the war of anonymous fans fighting their corners. IT'S A PHONE, not a football club. however, to add my tuppence worth, iPhone's are the product to beat. they're simple, elegant and just work. the same reason why everyone prefers a mac to a pc is the same reason why people prefer an iphone to any other smartphone out there. they're not interested in downloading the latest launchers or that they can go to the bbc website and watch things on the iplayer without having to open up an app. unfortunately the problem with the iphone isn't with the zealots that fight it's corner and spend 9+ hours of there time a couple times a year to get the latest release of iThingy, it's the pigheadedness of Apple in thinking that their phone is worth the ridiculous amount of money you will have to pay for it should you want one. this, like pc to the mac war, is where android comes in. android can do everything IOS can do and in some cases more, albeit not always as simple though - it took me 9 months for me to finally get my galaxy s just the way i wanted it and even then it still freezes up. androids biggest selling point is that it's cheap and anyone can use it, change it and make it better. samsung won't take down the iphone on it's own, why, apple got there first and people seem to like queuing for 9+ hours to get their stuff, but android, as an OS, is out selling IOS, the consumer is always right.

someone argued that if apple hadn't done all it did, samsung and android wouldn't be here, however if microsoft hadn't tried to get smartphones to be mainstream, apple wouldn't have done what they did, it's called evolution. technology evolves, nokia used to own the phone market, now, it's for all intents and purposes dead, pending on how well windows 8 will take to the phone world. currently, it's the age of smart phones, in a couple years time, who knows.

but back to the original point, IT'S A PHONE, it doesn't matter what brand you waste your evenings queuing up to buy, they all do relatively the same thing. the important thing is that you don't let the companies dictate what you should spend yours or even a significant others hard earned cash on. do your own research, shop around for the better deals, test phones out in the shops, after all, you're gonna be spending the best part of the next 2 years with this thing glued to your hand finding out the latest gossip on your twitter feed. for me, i got the galaxy s over a year ago and it still does me fine today. i didn't pay anything for the phone at the start of the contract and i don't hate that time of the month when the bill comes through. i actually look forward to it cause it reminds me that i'm not paying the humiliating amount of money iphone owners spend on there contacts for the same service i'm getting. nor did i queue for it in the freezing cold. nor do i need a case for it to make a phone call. nor am i letting apple rob me stupid as they laugh all the way to the bank with my money.

yes, i would love to have a iphone, they are the thing to have in your stocking at christmas, they are the apple of everybody's eye (see what i did there). i just can't bring myself to let apple walk all over me with their arrogant attitude and pompous nature towards their products. we get it, you made the smartphone better first, you made everything change, 5 times now, first. but stop throwing your dummy out the cot and suing everybody that makes something even slightly better than you.

anonymous 24 November, 2011 09:09

If you buy a samsung galaxy s2 you made a very big mistake because when i bought my one after 2 days it broke down. Now my samsung cant turn on again and trust me on this your wasting your money on something that will last for 2 .So my recomendation is to get a apple iphone 4s.Ive had a iphone4s and its so much excitinger then the samsung.trust me on this,samsung just built the phone for nothing

anonymous 24 November, 2011 10:19

Ive had an iphone sinse the beginning, dont get me wrong they are good phones, but apple are so greedy!! theyre so expensive.. I just upgraded to the Galaxy S2 and its by far a better phone!! and for a fraction of the price none the less, most of the paid apps on the iphone are free on andriod, Angry Birds FTW! you get so much more freedom with customization on the S2.. only downside i have is theyre no decent way of backing it up like you can on the iphone... also, on subject.. nice ad :)

anonymous 24 November, 2011 12:09

I doubt Samsung really made this advertisement

anonymous 24 November, 2011 12:15

I upgraded from a 3GS to a 4S and there is no antenna issue, very nice screen, sturdy build (classy and luxurious) vs plastic and squeeky, and i paid £99 upfront and £35 pm for unlim calls,txt&internet (3network) I didnt stand in a line, I got what I wanted, and all my junk got sent from my old iPhone to the new one in a matter of min icloud was easy and simple (like me) the S2 is nice granted, but its too big to go in my pocket! and its useless giving me 4G when UK gets it in late 2013! and it was the same £99 upfront deal in store so its just as dear as an iPhone (if the US networks whant to rob their customers its not the makers fault) besides no one just gives a phone for free anymore, those days are GONE! These are Smart phones not pre 2007 phones wake up guys.

anonymous 24 November, 2011 13:34

Please read comment number 4 by anonymous... hahahaha soo true!!

anonymous 24 November, 2011 23:46

Interesting the ad draws attention to a point in favour of iPhone. All the iPhone folk have their ear phones in listening to their music. None of the Samsung folk do, guess they can't listen to music with their phone.

Jono70 25 November, 2011 08:35

Peter Frost - well said, great comments. Most of the other comments just make me lol - from both sides of the fence! This from a satisfied Galaxy S2 owner

anonymous 25 November, 2011 11:05

get over yourselves, samsung may have took some things from apple but they have created a better phone, apples too restricted in what you can do. the iphone is a brilliant piece of hardware but because i cant do something as simple as send a photo over bluetooth i never have and never will purchase an iphone

anonymous 25 November, 2011 15:54

Going after users to mock them is a little cheap. The Apple V PC adverts compared platforms, not users.

It's an amusing move by a company that can only dream of having the iPhone's mindshare.

GalacticForce 26 November, 2011 07:03

@Peter Frost Whilst you make some good points, I've noticed some of your points are invariably flawed.

"iPhone's are the phones to beat... they're simple, elegant and just work" The reasons you stated do not make the iPhone the best, it is simply the ultimate reflection of that which you look for in a phone. For others, Samsung and other Android phones will be the best option as they are more customizable, powerful and versatile.

"everyone prefers a mac to a pc" Generalised comments bear no ground.

"it took me 9 months for me to finally get my galaxy s just the way i wanted it and even then it still freezes up" From this statement is clear that what you look for is a phone that does what it must do well. However, the point in Android is that you decide what your phone must do, thereby it will take long to get it just right.

Oh, and about the freezing, I guarantee there is a software update for that. ;)

anonymous 26 November, 2011 17:01

lets not forget that samsung actually makes most of the electronics that go into all apple devices.

anonymous 26 November, 2011 17:41

The only thing stopping me getting a Samsung galaxy is there is no docking stations like there is for iPhone/iPad. I love my docking stations I have them all over the house so I can listen to my music etc.and there is all kinds of cool gizmos/add-ons for them.also the android apps maybe cheaper and most of the free apps can read your phone status and give the info to 3rd partie company's which will the send you junk emails ect.so next time you think you are getting a free android app check In your storage on your android phone and see what the free app has access to :0

Peter Frost 26 November, 2011 18:05

@GalacticForce I see what you're saying and i'll take that on board but my main point wasn't why iphone is the best, it was that it's not worth the money Apple want you to pay for it. I like my galaxy s and even though it did take me a while to customise it how i want i still got that opportunity which you don't get with the iphone. i'm running 2.3.4 so yes there is a software update and i'll get it eventually but i think most of the issues are to do with the launcher. anyway, not important.

for me, i will probably always get an android phone as i will not sacrifice that ability to have my phone the way i want it just so i can sync it with itunes/cloud or whatever apple are selling these days, nor do i want to spend my money on an organisation that is so arrogant that they think they get it right every time, it took them til iOS3 before you could forward a txt message, iOS4 before you could multitask, it's still not possible to bluetooth a picture to another phone, not even another iphone. very few people actually bluetooth things to other phones these days as we all just 'bump' things across now but it's nice to know that i have that option and i bet when they do release that ability in there software, they'll advertise it as a new technology that they've solved so that you can interact with other phones out there.

Steve Price 26 November, 2011 22:43

I hate adverts.

anonymous 27 November, 2011 06:49

"Going after users to mock them is a little cheap. The Apple V PC adverts compared platforms, not users."

No, it went after people. "I'm a mac, and I'm a PC", personified PC users, not merely the platform. If apple wants to play the slagging game, then get ready for some retribution. Apple /does/ have a cult, mostly created by it's slagging of other companies. It seems only natural to make a tiny jab at this cult.

"It's an amusing move by a company that can only dream of having the iPhone's mindshare"
you're kidding, right?
Samsung:
Total assets US$ 343.7 billion (2010)[2]
Total equity US$ 141.1 billion (2010)[2]
Apple:
Total assets US$ 116.371 billion (FY 2011)[3]
Total equity US$ 76.615 billion (FY 2011)[3]

I'm sorry, but apple can't hold a candle.

anonymous 5 December, 2011 23:55

I had an early smartphone, an HTC, one of the first to have Windows Mobile. I had it for over 6 years, treated it like crap, and then one day it broke. I knew once the Samsung Galaxy S2 came out that it was going to be the phone for me. I'm a geek. I like having the ability to customise the hell out of something, but I did my benchmarks.

What convinced me really in the end to go with the G2 over the iPhone 4 was the G2's power. I watched videos on YouTube. The G2 loaded much more quickly compared to the iPhone. Both were brand new out the box. Then the screen of the G2 came to life. I looked at the specs. I went to the local shops (I live in France) and tested it out. I borrowed a friend's iPhone 4 and played with it.

The iPhone still has an edge because of its ability to play media. Yet even when Samsung's Kies pissed me off as I was trying to move my music from iTunes over to it and it failed horribly I didn't despair. I simply used it has a hard drive. In went the music with no problem. Album covers and all. I can create playlists on the go. I later learned that the problems I experienced with Kies was because of my lack of experience. Afterall, I had the same phone for 6 years. I needed to catch up.

But I'm glad I held on to my HTC phone for so long. I jumped off the iPod boat long before the iPhone ever came into existence. Why? Because I got sick of the culture. I got sick of people looking down at me for not having the "latest" thing.

The G2 is a beautiful phone and much like another commentor said, it was the same price, same contract as the iPhone 4, but I think I made the better decision. For me. And that's what it boils down to. Don't buy a phone because of this commercial or Apple's. Think about what you want to do with your phone, what you need to do with your phone, and what you can afford. Buy a phone that will work with your budget today, tomorrow, and for the duration of your contract.

I am a very happy G2 girl. Very happy indeed. But then again I live mostly in a country that has 4G already. Vive la France!

anonymous 8 December, 2011 04:59

BEIJING: Apple Inc suffered a setback in the Chinese market on Wednesday as a court rejected its lawsuit against a local company for alleged infringement of its 'iPad' trademark, as a result of which it may have to sell the product under a new name in China or cough up USD 1.6 billion.

Apple may have to sell its popular iPad tablet computers under a new name in the Chinese mainland in future if it does not first purchase the trademark from a Chinese tech firm as a result of the verdict, official media here reported today.

The Municipal Intermediate People's Court in Shenzhen, a southern Chinese city neighbouring Hong Kong, earlier this week rejected a lawsuit by Apple accusing Proview Technology (Shenzhen) of infringing on its 'iPad' trademark.

Proview Technology (Shenzhen) is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-headquartered Proview International Holdings Limited, which also has a branch in Taipei.

Proview Taipei registered the 'iPad' trademark in a number of countries and regions as early as 2000 and Proview Shenzhen registered the trademark on the Chinese mainland in 2001, long before Apple launched its iPad tablet.

Apple bought the rights to use the trademark from Proview Taipei in 2009 with a payment of 35,000 pounds (USD 54,616).

However, Proview Shenzhen reserved the right to use the trademark on the Chinese mainland.

The two sides have been entangled in a legal battle ever since.

Proview Shenzhen, once a famous flat-panel display producer, is now on the brink of bankruptcy due to debts owed to banks in the wake of the global financial crisis.

Li Su, the President of Beijing-based Hejun Vanguard Group, a leading management consultancy firm, has been entrusted by banks to assume the post of "debt restructuring consultant" for Proview Shenzhen.

"Apple's actions are strange. They had not obtained the rights to use the 'iPad' trademark when they began to sell the iPad on the Chinese mainland in September last year," Huang Yiding of the Hejun Vanguard Group's public relations department was quoted by state-run Xinhua news agency as saying.

"Their copyright infringement is very clear. The laws are still there and they sell their products in defiance of laws. The more products they sell, the more they need to compensate," he said.

China, where a plethora of Apple products are assembled, is also a major market for iPhones and iPads.

anonymous 8 December, 2011 16:15

"This product will only reinforce their belief. Android was put on earth to test their loyalty."

Brilliant!

anonymous 10 December, 2011 01:59

Apple fans, enjoy the thrills while they last. Apple is now the new evil empire that is suing every one to maintain its sudden success. It will soom become a staid corparate behemoth that tries to maintain what it has. That's the trouble with a one man show that did a good job making a nice mp3 player and a nice tablet by improving other peoples ideas. Before that it was just the loser that had 5 percent of the tech market share which it got by convincing the technically illiterate that "PC's get viruses and Apple stuff doesn't..." and beret-wearing anti-corporate 'intellectuals' that Apple was like not the man, man. I lstill augh at that ad after seeing again.

anonymous 12 December, 2011 17:51

Do I really care whether it's Galaxy or Apple? The are both good, but one is far cheaper.

anonymous 18 December, 2011 09:26

For the love of God people, lighten up! They're just phones!! Yes I have an iPhone but I thought the ad was really funny. At the end of the day we all have our personal preferences - some people like android more, some don't. Save arguing time for the Eurozone debate, something like that. Go do that.

anonymous 19 December, 2011 21:47

Amazing how personal people take all this ...these are just gadgets designed to make life better for the users> apple samsung makes no difference there not your friends ...phones are just the new pets of the 21st except they don't love you back and you have to have them put down regularly so you can have a new one...you mugs ...

anonymous 21 December, 2011 14:14

Advert or no advert, fact is iPhones are still overrated, over priced & lack general functionality compared to what a Galaxy S2 can offer. I've done 2 months of testing & research & was looking forward to getting my hands on a 4S but I would say S2 is a clear winner which I have now ordered. iPhones are more of a ladies handset in design & operation. Pretty & well built though!

Graham Lloyd 23 December, 2011 16:05

I have a Galaxy s2 but it will not conect to my pc help x

Peter Frost 24 December, 2011 02:14

@Graham Lloyd, you need to have the correct drivers for your phone on your pc. try searching for MTP drivers for galaxy s2, they had the same difficulties with the first galaxy s phone.