Selling The Dream With Samsung
Turning Product Features Into A New Reality
Where To Find “The Best” Marketing?
Some of the best marketing doesn’t come from billion-dollar brands—it’s scrawled on chalkboards outside mom-and-pop shops. “Our coffee is strong enough to wake the dead!” or “Come in for Wi-Fi, leave with dessert!” Quirky, catchy, and impossible to ignore.
Now contrast that with the bland billboard from your local electronics megastore: “BIGGER SCREEN.” Riveting.
Sure, for some, “BIGGER SCREEN” might be enough to inspire a spontaneous splurge. But today’s customers—savvy, skeptical, and spoiled for choice—demand more than dry facts. They crave a reason to care.
As any great marketer will tell you: reason gets you noticed, but emotion seals the deal.
A Galaxy of Possibilities: Samsung’s Note9 Launch Campaign
A few years back, I was knee-deep in the creative trenches as a Senior Copywriter at Leo Burnett—the agency behind iconic campaigns like “Act Like a Girl,” the Marlboro Man, and even Tony the Tiger (yes, that Tony). My client? Samsung.
Samsung’s yearly routine is a high-stakes launch of two flagship phones: the trendy Galaxy S model, tailored for the hip social butterfly, and the Galaxy Note, designed for the bold—the C-suite trailblazers, boundary-pushing entrepreneurs, and visionary artists.
Both phones boasted the same technical upgrades—hello, bigger screen—but the magic lay in translating those features into benefits that resonated with each audience. For the Note, this meant selling ambition, daring, and mastery—not pixels.
From Paper to Power: Turning Specs into Stories
Samsung’s brief was clear: market the Galaxy Note9 with the tagline “The New Super Powerful Note9” and position it as the ultimate tool for the movers and shakers of the world. My mission? Transform a list of features into a tapestry of dreams.
Below are the product highlights, brought to life through our taglines. (The original campaign copy was in Spanish, translated here for clarity.)
Main Campaign Tagline
“More power than anyone. For those of us who move the world.”
With this phone, you’re not just anyone—you’re a mover, a doer, a trailblazer. And deserve the right tools to do so.
Battery Life
“Long-lasting battery for limitless projects.”
Picture this: You’re in the zone, creative sparks flying, revolutionizing your industry one idea at a time—and then your phone dies. Not with the Note9. Energy for your boundless ambition.
Half a Terabyte of Storage
“Half a terabyte to store instants of work and play.”
Your life is a balancing act—work, family, passion projects—and this phone’s storage is designed to keep up. PowerPoint presentations and puppy videos, all in one place.
Fastest Ever Network Speed
“Faster browsing to keep up with you.”
You don’t slow down. Why should your tech? No loading bars. No waiting. Just pure, uninterrupted momentum.
Most Powerful Camera
“Reflect your vision with the best camera.”
For those who see the world differently, the Note9’s camera doesn’t just capture—it elevates. A tool as visionary as its owner.
Think Beyond the Product: Sell the Reality
The world is awash in products, each claiming to be smarter, faster, or shinier than the last. But what separates a Samsung Galaxy Note9 from any other phone—or a MacBook from a random laptop—isn’t its specs. It’s the story.
Marketing isn’t just about selling features; it’s about selling a world. A reality where your audience sees themselves as the hero, equipped with your product to conquer their challenges.
Side Note: Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, this campaign did not get the chance to see the light of day, but the things we learned along the road are worthy of passing along, don’t you think?