Samsung decided to play on the name of Apple's leader in an advertisement for its foldable smartphone Galaxy Fold 8. The company invited New Zealand real estate agent Tim Cook to the campaign, who happens to have the same name as former Apple CEO.
In the Samsung New Zealand commercial, the man receives a Galaxy Fold 8 and jokingly addresses viewers with an "important announcement". The wordplay is obvious: for a moment, a viewer might think this is a statement from the real Tim Cook about a new Apple product.
Why now
The advertisement appeared at a moment when Apple entered the foldable smartphone market with its iPhone Duo. Samsung emphasizes that it has been releasing such devices for much longer: the first Galaxy Fold debuted in 2019, meaning the company has a six-year head start in a market where Apple is just beginning.
This marketing move is not Samsung's first sarcastic reaction to a competitor's announcement. Previously, the company had already published a series of ironic posts on social media, hinting that it "invented" foldable smartphones long before Apple.
About the specs
The Galaxy Fold 8 features a 5.5-inch external and 7.6-inch internal display. The smartphone weighs 201 grams, while the iPhone Duo with a similar internal screen diagonal weighs 254 grams. A difference of over 50 grams is an argument that Samsung is eager to use in competing for a customer for whom the weight of a foldable device in their pocket matters.
Apple introduced its first foldable iPhone Duo for $2000.
Apple's flagship price sets a high bar for the entire foldable smartphone segment. The question is whether the joke with the namesake will help Galaxy Fold 8 sales, or will it remain just a successful publicity stunt: the advertisement has already gone viral on social media precisely because of the name confusion, rather than because of the device's specifications.
