The next generation of BlackBerry explodes into life this month -- and Samsung is launching a preemptive strike. Up to its old tricks, Samsung is promoting the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 with a thinly veiled pop at BlackBerry users.
Samsung has form at bashing rivals in adverts. Ads for the Galaxy S2 and S3 took aim at Apple fans queuing up for the new iPhone 5. Although the ads never name the subject of their mockery, they make it very obvious -- and that's the case here, as Samsung lampoons BlackBerry's staid image to promote the business credentials of the Note 2 and S3.
In the new advert, a company of hip young app-buildin' gunslingers jump at the chance to switch from their boring business phones to Samsung Android smart phones. As Samsung puts it, only a besuited lame-o sticks with his keyboard-packing business-brick, while a middle-aged harridan refuses to deviate from her time-honoured two-phone system. What a pair of squares!
Press play on the video below to see Samsung's dig at BlackBerry:
Weirdly, when taking pot shots at a rival, Samsung once again takes aim at the very people who are going to buy the phone. Not a great way to treat customers, Sammy.
Samsung wants to expand from the consumer market into the business world, so long the bastion of BlackBerry's popularity. The S3 and Note 2 are heralded as being SAFE for work -- that's Samsung Approved For Enterprise, which uses on-device AES 256-bit encryption to keep your sensitive emails and files secure, and allows you to share and collaborate with colleagues via VPN and NFC.
The ad appears just days before the arrival of BlackBerry 10, the new generation of BlackBerry software. The long-awaited software makes its debut on two new phones, the traditional clicky-keyboard-sporting X10 and touchscreen Z10.
Is Samsung right that BlackBerry is just for squares? Can BlackBerry fight back against Android? And has your phone changed how you do business -- do you work wherever you are, or does work stay at work? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
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Comments 18
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anonymous 22 January, 2013 09:57
Sour grapes from Samsung there. Sure as hell not all that they make their devices out to be. I find the note to be too big and cumbersome and until project butter came along the phones always used to lag. Don't really understand why they are taking a pop at RIM Blackberry. Unless they really do feel perhaps threatened by BB10. Either way its not a great way to treat potential customers even if it is meant to be harmless fun as Samsung might say.
anonymous 22 January, 2013 10:02
Yeah im a note 2 user and there is not need, if folk want to buy Apple, Android, Blackberry, let them. No need to take shots at them.
anonymous 22 January, 2013 10:08
Samsung for business? Hmmm. Not while Samsung Kies software is so flakey.
anonymous 22 January, 2013 10:16
There is something really off with these adverts...but I do find myself looking forward to them now.
They get the point across clearly....unlike those apple genius bar ads.
anonymous 22 January, 2013 10:32
Too many geeks in these ads. They should just stick to coding and shut up! They stand out a mile away, just come out of high school and look as though they've just been breast fed. The wit is wearing thin. Move on and think of something different!
anonymous 22 January, 2013 10:46
Am I the only one who remembers the PC crowd being compared to stuffy, frumpy, grey business people in Apple ad's?
The mac then being the lean, hip, colourful person.
As an owner of a Note 2 I can say these kinds of adverts specifically stopped me buying a Mac purely because they were so up their own arses.
HTC and Sony are a decent stylus away from taking my money. Motorola too if this X is as good as it looks.
anonymous 22 January, 2013 11:09
Lol
Its just marketing.
But the fact that they are taking a shot at RIM could suggest that they see them as a competitor.
I don't really like Blackberry's but the new OS looks good.
They could make a comeback - but then there's the BIS issue. Hmmmm!
anonymous 22 January, 2013 11:24
Classic Samsung rubbish - worst advertisers in the world.
At least BlackBerry run their own path rather than simply copying the competition then bashing them.
Not so long ago Samsung was trying to copy RIM with the 'BlackJack'. Now it's Apple. Uninventive 'Me Too' trash from a Korean boxshifter.
anonymous 22 January, 2013 12:56
And the point is this, they're not aiming at the real squares because they'll never change. They're aiming at the squares who don't think they're squares and who will change because they don't want to be seen as squares. Got that?
anonymous 22 January, 2013 14:22
Anonymous @1032 is a bully like Samsung :O
Lucas Baker 22 January, 2013 15:54
Samsung need to make adverts like this because people don't appreciate how good Samsung phones are and just buy iPhones for the brand
Damien2501 22 January, 2013 18:33
The advert isnt as extreme as I thought it would be. The US is a completly different market than the UK, adverts there are more extreme in walks of life there especially elections. And Steve Jobs mocked BlackBerry and some other companies in the iPhone 1 keynote speech and maybe other keynotes but I've only seen the first one.
anonymous 22 January, 2013 21:12
This is so for the LOOOLLLZZZ. I think that RIM truely deserve this because they are really going downhill and blackberries were never that good in the first place. Also Samsung has really earned o have the right to do this because their products are on the top at the moment.
anonymous 23 January, 2013 04:08
Samsung don't do this kind of advert..people will hate you. Blackberry never poke you at all. Plus email for high end smartphone note 2 is still sucks.
anonymous 23 January, 2013 15:52
It is a funny commercial and the ads do not send potential customers away. I have an S2 and it has been great for me at work and for personal use. Samsung should make ads like this because the cell phone market is blinded by apple, apple and apple like they were blinded by BB for a short time. Samsung products are great because they give everyone choices. If you do not want a large screen, do not buy one. Samsung all the way.
anonymous 27 January, 2013 08:05
buddies..dont u remember steve jobs iphone 1 presentation about 5 years ago directly mocking the rivals...that tym u squeeked with joy...now when u c samsung ad u feel nauseated..what double standards...i think it is there in isheep dna...handing money to some company for overpriced products and screamin abt havin the message and callin options...grow up
anonymous 16 February, 2013 17:13
Why be surprised? Samsung are great at copying and negative campaigns. And it works. Only thing is I've had three Samsung phones- a nexus, note1 and note 2. Sold the note 1 to get a note 2. But my note 2 has stopped working and Samsung are playing hard to get for replacing it. My nexus went when it got a bit wet. So overall whilst there are some nice touches from Samsung I'm totally underwhelmed by their hardware quality, customer focus and marketing (and the dig from Samsung about old foggies using iphones didn't go down well with my girlfriend - she's 28 and says she'd never buy a Samsung phone). We were looking for getting a new laptop, thought about a Samsung, thought about our experiences with Samsung and went for an Asus- it's brilliant.).
anonymous 16 February, 2013 17:15
Samsung sheep- I'm baaaaad;-)