It's not uncommon for big companies to miss the mark with their advertisements. They often get pitched ideas by their agencies that may look good on paper, but the underlying concept tends to be flawed. When that ad is released and it starts being criticized, it ends up making the company look out of touch with reality.
That's basically what has happened with a Samsung ad that was done by Ogilvy New York. It shows a woman waking up at 2 am to go for a run alone on the streets of the big city. Ogilvy might know of the parallel universe where doing that is safe as the outrage being expressed by women's groups and safety campaigners clearly shows that it isn't.
The ad makes Samsung appear out of touch with reality
The idea behind this ad was to show how Samsung's products, the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Buds 2 are featured in it, empower people to “pursue wellness on their own schedule.” That premise is a bit lost on the intended audience, women, who feel that this ad sweeps the challenges that they face under the rug.
Women's safety group Reclaim These Streets finds the ad “tone deaf,” particularly following the death of Ashling Murphy who was killed while on a run in Ireland earlier this year. That unfortunate incident sparked a conversation about how a lot of women feel unsafe when they run alone, particularly at night. Many took to social media to share their stories of being harassed when out for a run.
Even the comments on YouTube show that the ad has done the opposite of what it was supposed to do. Instead of shining a light on Samsung's products and how they empower people, it's giving the impression that Samsung is disconnected from reality.
The company hasn't commented on the matter as yet and neither has Ogilvy New York.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnEzVb_AAiI
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