Samsung offers “free trial” of its smartphone for Apple users in new mocking ad – four tech giant ad wars we remember
Samsung is offering a free “trial programme” for any Apple users considering converting to its smartphones, in its latest marketing stunt designed to poke fun at Apple. And Apple isn’t above biting back….
The South Korean tech giant has introduced a 30-day trial designed to entice iPhone users, allowing owners of the Apple smartphone to try Samsung’s flagship models Galaxy S6 or S6 Edge at no cost.
Elizabeth Solomon, Samsung’s vice president of marketing, said:
We want to give people the chance to try out Samsung's latest and greatest smartphones firsthand without any obligation.
The not-so-subtle dig at Apple isn’t the first time Samsung has taunted the company – its adverts have been regularly mocking the iPhone for years. And although Apple may focus on its own products today, it certainly enjoyed satirising others in the past.
Here’s a round-up of other tech giant ad wars we remember:
1. “It doesn’t take a genius”
What it lacked in quality it made up for in speed. Within 24 hours of the Apple Watch launch Samsung released no fewer than six videos hitting back at Apple.
Without ever mentioning the company by name, the ads feature two men looking uncannily like Apple Genius employees standing in what, oh gosh, looks a lot like an Apple store, and attack the new smartwatch, the brand's phones – and even the failed technology at the watch's launch event itself.
2. “Next big thing”
This Samsung advert poking fun at Apple fans queuing up to get the newly-released iPhone 5 actually became the most-watched tech video of 2012, with a whopping 71m views.
3. “Get a Mac”
It’s a bit hard for Apple to parodise anyone now, given it's the world’s biggest company by a long way. But it certainly wasn’t above mockery in the past, as this classic series from the good old days when Microsoft was number one and Apple was the upstart underdog (if you can believe it) proves.
4. “Introducing the bookbook”
Okay, this has nothing to do with tech. But frankly it’s the funniest of the lot. Swedish furniture giant Ikea wanted in on the fun, and released this merciless spoof of Apple ads advertising its 2015 catalogue.