Samsung brand ambassador sued for $1.6 million for using iPhone X in public

Posted:
in iPhone edited December 2019
Russian brand ambassador for Samsung Ksenia Sobchak is reportedly being sued by the South Korean smartphone producer, for allegedly being caught in public using an iPhone X instead of handsets she was supposed to be promoting.

via CEN
via CEN


Ksenia Sobchak was hired by Samsung to market its smartphones in the country, with the Russian TV presenter, journalist, and politician contracted to use the smartphones in public. Under the terms of similar agreements between companies and influential people, they are not typically allowed to be seen using competing products in public, a rule that Sobchak broke.

According to The Mirror, Sobchak was spotted using an iPhone X during a television interview, with the personality attempting to hide the Apple smartphone under a piece of paper while the cameras were on. Sobchak is also said to have used the iPhone X during social events in Moscow and other TV appearances, again against the contract's rules.

Formerly dubbed the "Russian Paris Hilton," Sobchak is also rumored to be the goddaughter to President Vladimir Putin, who she ran against in elections earlier in 2018. Anatoly Sobchak, her father, was the first elected mayor of St Petersburg, and thought to have been a mentor to the president.

The numerous sightings has led to Samsung suing Sobchak for a reported 108 million rubles (approximately $1.6 million) for breach of contract. It is unknown how much Sobchak was originally paid by Samsung, but it is likely the suit's claimed damages are far higher in value, including penalties for breaking the agreement.

Neither representatives of Sobchak nor Samsung have publicly commented on the affair.

The practice of paying influencers to use products is common, with social media posts by celebrities and other personalities marketing the items, both directly and indirectly through observed usage. In the case of smartphones and other Internet-connected devices, spotting influencers using the "wrong" phone on social media is a major marketing gaffe, one that crops up quite frequently online.

In 2014, Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine promoted the launch of Samsung's Milk Music service, including the suggestion of holding an "iPhone burning," but one week later he was caught promoting a TV appearance from an iPhone. Levine was also due to perform at the iTunes Festival at that time.

Tennis player David Ferrer sent a tweet to his followers promoting the Galaxy S4 in 2013, but the message was labeled as "via Twitter for iPhone." In 2015, BlackBerry's PR team sent a tweet promoting the BlackBerry Classic from an iPhone, mirroring a similar mistake made by one-time creative director Alicia Keys in 2013.

More recently, "Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot dispatched a tweet to followers in April endorsing the Huawei Mate 10 Pro, with the tweet again revealed to be sent from an iPhone. The tweet was removed and replaced by other marketing messages, with one of the star's staffers blamed for the mixup.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    Surprise surprise. People won't use Samsung devices over Apple devices, even when they are paid to. Laughable.
    netmagejbdragondarren mccoycornchipmarsorryracerhomie3pscooter63aylklostkiwichasm
  • Reply 2 of 31
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,898moderator
    Karma
    darren mccoyretrogustoolslamboaudi4berndogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 31
    Poor Samsung. The indignities never end. 
    cornchipmac_dogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 31
    People will use what they want.  Surprise.  Maybe the companies will finally get it through their heads that "influencers" don't have all that much influence.  Ultimately it is the quality of the product that creates momentum in market penetration, not one of the Kardshian clan being seen with it.

    Build a better product and more people will buy it.
    darren mccoyracerhomie3mac_dogaylklostkiwiolslolliverberndogredgeminipawatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 31
    BebeBebe Posts: 145member
    She didn't care about the consequence, apparently.  :D
    darren mccoymarsorrywatto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 31
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,386member
    Even people getting paid fuckloads of money to use a Samsung phone can't even be bothered to do so. The people that go out there and not only spend their own money on Samsung products, but actually shill for them as well, should think about that.
    chiapscooter63chasmlolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 31
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,312member
    I do find this funny every time it happens. All these people paid by Samesung to use their device and show it off, and in the end, those same people are really using a iPhone for their day to day stuff and Apple isn't paying them. Hey, If Samesung wanted to pay me a million dollars to use their phone for a while, I'd do it and leave my iPhone at home. But as soon as the terms were up, I'd be back on my iPhone.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 31
    Were I a higher-up at Apple I would suggest Apple pays this penalty for her.

    Nothing but an upside to doing that. Unless 1000s of their brand ambassadors start using iPhones in public :)
    mac_dogretrogustoeightzeroanantksundaramberndogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 31
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,134member
    jbdragon said:
    I do find this funny every time it happens. All these people paid by Samesung to use their device and show it off, and in the end, those same people are really using a iPhone for their day to day stuff and Apple isn't paying them. Hey, If Samesung wanted to pay me a million dollars to use their phone for a while, I'd do it and leave my iPhone at home. But as soon as the terms were up, I'd be back on my iPhone.
    Would you take $1M to give it up forever?

    As the old saying goes, I think we know what you are; now we are just haggling price. (and please - this is not a personal attack, just a recitation of an oldish joke.)
    berndogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 31
    We can’t blame her for that, quite honestly... 
    lolliverwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 31
    jdgazjdgaz Posts: 405member
    Imagine if all of the endorsements stopped. No more swoosh on Tiger's hat, etc. Products would cost a heck of a lot less, and the "beautiful" people might have to work for a living.
    78Banditlostkiwimotoman2wh3h4y3s
  • Reply 12 of 31
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,386member
    The vast improvements to every aspect of Apple maps since it launched has been stunning.
    eightzero said:
    jbdragon said:
    I do find this funny every time it happens. All these people paid by Samesung to use their device and show it off, and in the end, those same people are really using a iPhone for their day to day stuff and Apple isn't paying them. Hey, If Samesung wanted to pay me a million dollars to use their phone for a while, I'd do it and leave my iPhone at home. But as soon as the terms were up, I'd be back on my iPhone.
    Would you take $1M to give it up forever?

    As the old saying goes, I think we know what you are; now we are just haggling price. (and please - this is not a personal attack, just a recitation of an oldish joke.)
    I'll bite, I'll gladly take $1M to give up my iPhone forever. I'm a massive Apple fan, and I won't like it, but that equation is a no-brainer, for me at least.
    edited October 2018 muthuk_vanalingamberndogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 31
    AndreiAndrei Posts: 1unconfirmed, member
    Well, Эхо Москвы is a radio station. But she's been there so many times, there's no chance she doesn't know about the camera.
    edited October 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 31
    I'm not sure if she is a brand ambassador or if this is a bribe to someone that is connected to the party
  • Reply 15 of 31
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,056member
    slurpy said:
    The vast improvements to every aspect of Apple maps since it launched has been stunning.
    eightzero said:
    jbdragon said:
    I do find this funny every time it happens. All these people paid by Samesung to use their device and show it off, and in the end, those same people are really using a iPhone for their day to day stuff and Apple isn't paying them. Hey, If Samesung wanted to pay me a million dollars to use their phone for a while, I'd do it and leave my iPhone at home. But as soon as the terms were up, I'd be back on my iPhone.
    Would you take $1M to give it up forever?

    As the old saying goes, I think we know what you are; now we are just haggling price. (and please - this is not a personal attack, just a recitation of an oldish joke.)
    I'll bite, I'll gladly take $1M to give up my iPhone forever. I'm a massive Apple fan, and I won't like it, but that equation is a no-brainer, for me at least.
    For an average Joe, yeah $1M is huge but for celebrities, it’s pocket change.
    chiawatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 31
    Samsung attempting to sue a relative of Putin? Bye-bye Samsung.
    edited October 2018 berndogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 31
    mac_dogmac_dog Posts: 1,083member
    acejax805 said:
    Surprise surprise. People won't use Samsung devices over Apple devices, even when they are paid to. Laughable.
    Especially in Russia. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 31
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,134member
    Were I a higher-up at Apple I would suggest Apple pays this penalty for her.

    Nothing but an upside to doing that. Unless 1000s of their brand ambassadors start using iPhones in public :)
    And you know, I suspect Samesung is about to discover the Streisand Effect. 
    berndogmainyehcwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 31
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 4,006member
    Kind of reminds me how some NFL commentators (I think) were supposed to be using surface pros and actually had iPads a few years ago
    shewylostkiwilolliverberndogwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 31
    I don't know why Samsung wouldn't just find 'influencers' that already use Samsung phones - is it that hard? I dunno - maybe.
    berndogcoolfactorlarryjwwatto_cobra
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