Samsung tries to troll iPhone 6s launch outside Apple’s flagship London store

Samsung banners iPhone 6s launch image 001

Here we go again…

In what could only be described as a continuation of its miserable anti-Apple advertising campaign, Samsung has hired people to wear backpack-mounted banners advertising its Galaxy smartphones to folks who queued up for iPhone 6s launch this morning outside the Apple Store in London’s Regent Street, The Inquirer reported.

The banners promote Samsung’s latest Galaxy S6 edge and S6 edge+ flagships and carry the provocative tagline “The itch to switch just got bigger.” In addition, International Business Times is reporting that Samsung even gave queued customers bright blue pillows and bottles emblazoned with the hashtag #NextIsNew.

But wait, there’s more.

Even Samsung Mobile UK tried to curb Apple’s launch on Twitter by publishing a series of messages, such as “Queuing is so overrated… Why queue when you can get the Galaxy S6 edge+ right now” and more.

https://twitter.com/SamsungMobileUK/status/647304528442880004

“The blankets, bottles and pillows had been handed out by a dozen or so people wearing blue jackets,” reports IB Times.

“They were given to us by Apple,” a person in queue said. A friend of his, however, was a little more savvy, quietly informing him: “No man, it was Samsung, I did a little research.”

https://twitter.com/SamsungMobileUK/status/647153535562457088

https://twitter.com/SamsungMobileUK/status/647123334510059520

https://twitter.com/SamsungMobileUK/status/647093137379336192

“When asked where they were from, one representative told IBT they came from a marketing company called Iris and were filming a video about the queue,” explains the publication.

Iris, of course, is a global marketing company which counts Samsung as a client. A marketing ploy like is hardly unusual for Samsung: the company has been actively advertising against Apple since the iPhone 5 launch three years ago. However, this is the first time they paid folks to actually troll an iPhone launch.

https://twitter.com/arneleobertoia/status/647103161392570368

I guess that’s one method of trying to sell your own flagships to iPhone 6s buyers in London. In my opinion, they should have thought twice before attempting to gatecrash the iPhone 6s launch, more so given the loyalty of Apple fans.

Samsung pillow Next is New 002

A free pillow won’t push an ardent Apple fan to make the switch to Android.

The contract-free iPhone 6s retails in the United Kingdom for £539, £619 and £699 fore versions with 16GB, 64GB or 64GB of storage, respectively.

The iPhone 6s Plus costs a £100 extra at £619, £699 and £789.

What do you think of Samsung’s attempt at dampening enthusiasm for the iPhone 6s launch like this? It’s surely legitimate marketing tactics, but will it work or will it backfire, do you think?

Source: The Inquirer, International Business TimesSamsung Mobile UK