Samsung reportedly behind mock protest flashmob at Apple Store
An Australian Apple Store was bombarded by a mob of people chanting "wake up" and holding signs emblazoned with the same slogan on Thursday, with one source claiming that the stunt was orchestrated by an ad agency working for Samsung.
The Sydney Apple Store saw a small mob of mock protestors spill out of a large black bus with the words "Wake Up." written in bold relief on its side in what was apparently an advertising stunt put together by an agency purportedly working for Samsung, according to blog Mumbrella.
Tongue, a local Australian ad company, is thought to be the instigator of the campaign which is centered around the upcoming release of Samsung's next-generation Galaxy S3 smartphone. An iPhone competitor, the S3 is said to sport a quad-core Exynos processor and was confirmed on Thursday as being ready for launch some time next week.
The information jibes with the website wake-up-australia.com.au, which displays the same "Wake Up." slogan with a countdown timer that is set to reach zero when the new handset is launched in that country. The domain name was registered to New Dialogue, which later rebranded itself as Sydney-based ad agency Tongue.
In addition to the staged protest, the campaign has written the words "Wake Up." on the bottom of the Bondi Ice Bergs pool as well as a number of billboards.
Documenting the incident on video was blogger Nate ?Blunty? Burr, who said he happened on the commotion by accident.
Apple is no stranger to protests, with the most recent case involving a Greenpeace demonstration at the company's European headquarters in Ireland over the coal-burning generators used to power iCloud's massive North Carolina datacenter.
The Sydney Apple Store saw a small mob of mock protestors spill out of a large black bus with the words "Wake Up." written in bold relief on its side in what was apparently an advertising stunt put together by an agency purportedly working for Samsung, according to blog Mumbrella.
Tongue, a local Australian ad company, is thought to be the instigator of the campaign which is centered around the upcoming release of Samsung's next-generation Galaxy S3 smartphone. An iPhone competitor, the S3 is said to sport a quad-core Exynos processor and was confirmed on Thursday as being ready for launch some time next week.
The information jibes with the website wake-up-australia.com.au, which displays the same "Wake Up." slogan with a countdown timer that is set to reach zero when the new handset is launched in that country. The domain name was registered to New Dialogue, which later rebranded itself as Sydney-based ad agency Tongue.
In addition to the staged protest, the campaign has written the words "Wake Up." on the bottom of the Bondi Ice Bergs pool as well as a number of billboards.
Documenting the incident on video was blogger Nate ?Blunty? Burr, who said he happened on the commotion by accident.
Apple is no stranger to protests, with the most recent case involving a Greenpeace demonstration at the company's European headquarters in Ireland over the coal-burning generators used to power iCloud's massive North Carolina datacenter.
Comments
Samsung has become a really pathetic company.
-kpluck
'm starting to think Teckstud now works for Samsung marketing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kpluck
Samsung has become a reportedly pathetic company.
Fixed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
So Samsung hires a bunch of day labourers, rents a bus, makes a bunch of signs, and then goes to advertise in front of an Apple Store... THE ONLY THING IN THE VIDEO WITH A TRADEMARK/LOGO SHOWING. Brilliant¡ I'm starting to think Teckstud now works for Samsung marketing.
I realize I'm the one that brought this to our attention here, but yeah, that's fishy. This might not be Samsung.
Wake up... What was the point of that? Really... I don't get it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by archieny
Wake up... What was the point of that? Really... I don't get it.
point was to make you feel confused and check on the internet and find out it is samsung and realize that gsiii is coming.
No worries, the Apple polishers are not ready to wake from their distortion field slumber. Though we do Apple no service with slavish and unquestioning praise of their superiority. Competition is good, and Apple needs it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by archieny
Wake up... What was the point of that? Really... I don't get it.
If you honestly don't get it, you need to get out more...
I love the smell of desperation.
How long before Apple gobbles up 90% of the profits in the smartphone space, anyhow?
Samsung = the next Nokia.
jealous much samsung?
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunspot42
Samsung = the next Nokia.
I don't think that you can call someone 'the next X' until the X has actually gone kaput.
Having said that, It'll be RIM first, then Nokia, then Samsung. Poor guys.
the most epic fail of a protest (or mock protest) is when no one knows what the heck your even protesting... or what your actual message is.
whoever they are... they failed... unless its some new "Wake Up" energy drink or something?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto's_sleeping_giant_quote
Stay classy Apple. I hope you never resort to this kind of stunt.
So the idea is to get more customers by insulting them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cpsro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto's_sleeping_giant_quote
BOTH of his quotes work in this scenario!
"I can run wild for six months … after that, I have no expectation of success."
What happens in six months? Well, let's see… SIXTH IPHONE RELEASE.
Whoa ... the synchronized thrusting and shouting just reminded me of the proletariat in the 1984 ad. Exactly the opposite of the intended message.
Anyway, it's so annoying to see ad agencies co-opting social phenomena. It's like, "Facebook is cool, how can we use that for marketing?" "Viral video is cool, how can we use that for marketing?" "Flash mobs are cool, how can we use that for marketing?" And then it's not cool when they do those things.
Ha!
Wow. People still do flash mobs?
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Originally Posted by OriginalG
Stay classy Apple. I hope you never resort to this kind of stunt.
Classy like like drawing other mobile vendors into the iPhone 4's antenna issues...yeah, real classy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fredaroony
Classy like like drawing other mobile vendors into the iPhone 4's antenna issues...yeah, real classy.
Because there was no "issue" other than the ones inherent to all phones made by anyone. Don't start that crap again.