The stage was set following a successful launch of the Galaxy Note in 2011. A year on, Samsung had greater expectations to satisfy. The company needed to do little to stoke the consumer’s curiosity ahead of the big launch. The Samsung Galaxy Note II managed to live up to the fanboys’ expectations.
Launched in September 2012, Samsung Galaxy Note II positioned itself on the ‘incredibly creative’ platform. Samsung realised innovation in converged devices alone is not enough in a highly competitive category. Not surprisingly, its marketing mix for the launch of Galaxy Note II included some of its tried and tested as well as new strategies. Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Note II first reached its customers through on-ground platforms for a first-hand feel of the product. Next, the company took the initiative to a different level with the ‘Incredible Art Piece’ — a digital art piece with the largest number of artists ever contributing to a single art piece.
“The Galaxy Note II is based on the concept that ‘inspiration doesn’t wait’ and the users should be able to express their creativity anywhere, anytime, taking inspiration from anything. So, we hosted on-ground consumer events wherein the audience was given an opportunity to play around with the Galaxy Note II S Pen and explore its potential,” says Asim Warsi, vice-president, Samsung Mobile.
During the launch, film director and scriptwriter Imtiaz Ali screened a short video which he had made using the Galaxy Note II. It highlighted the camera feature and its creative aspects. Samsung also placed caricature artists at select Smartphone Cafes during the launch phase to highlight the creative aspects of the device. Ramanujam Sridhar, founder CEO, brand-comm, says the creative positioning of Samsung Galaxy Note II placed the consumer ahead of the device. “Samsung offered the consumer a device that can work for her (consumers) the way she wants and supports her creative expressions, “ Sridhar adds.
If online reactions and user blogs are anything to go by, consumers really appreciated the expansive high-resolution smart screen, along with smartphone portability and on-the-go usability. Innovations around pen-input technology, called the S Pen, combined with Galaxy Note II’s full touch screen enhanced user experience.
According to Sridhar, investments in such innovation also proved critical. “The context should also be studied against the then forthcoming launch of Apple’s iPhone 5, which Samsung Galaxy Note II is designed to compete with. Samsung can’t afford to settle with a lesser product while competing with other top brands. The price of Galaxy Note II, which was a kept a bit low, also made an impact. Indian consumers are still value seekers. The average Indian consumer feels good about buying a product with comparable features from a good brand and at a competitive price. The fact is, the competitive pricing can be seen as the icing on the cake,” concludes Sridhar.
The well-orchestrated plan worked for Samsung. A Gartner report indicates, in 2012, Samsung sold 384.6 million mobile phones, 53.5 per cent of which were smartphones. Riding on the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note II, Samsung ended the year in the number one position, in both worldwide smartphone sales and overall mobile phone sales.
WHERE IT STANDS
Launch budget Rs 30 crore
WHAT WORKED
Emphasis on innovation
Attractive price
Expanding customer interface
Launched in September 2012, Samsung Galaxy Note II positioned itself on the ‘incredibly creative’ platform. Samsung realised innovation in converged devices alone is not enough in a highly competitive category. Not surprisingly, its marketing mix for the launch of Galaxy Note II included some of its tried and tested as well as new strategies. Like its predecessor, the Galaxy Note II first reached its customers through on-ground platforms for a first-hand feel of the product. Next, the company took the initiative to a different level with the ‘Incredible Art Piece’ — a digital art piece with the largest number of artists ever contributing to a single art piece.
“The Galaxy Note II is based on the concept that ‘inspiration doesn’t wait’ and the users should be able to express their creativity anywhere, anytime, taking inspiration from anything. So, we hosted on-ground consumer events wherein the audience was given an opportunity to play around with the Galaxy Note II S Pen and explore its potential,” says Asim Warsi, vice-president, Samsung Mobile.
During the launch, film director and scriptwriter Imtiaz Ali screened a short video which he had made using the Galaxy Note II. It highlighted the camera feature and its creative aspects. Samsung also placed caricature artists at select Smartphone Cafes during the launch phase to highlight the creative aspects of the device. Ramanujam Sridhar, founder CEO, brand-comm, says the creative positioning of Samsung Galaxy Note II placed the consumer ahead of the device. “Samsung offered the consumer a device that can work for her (consumers) the way she wants and supports her creative expressions, “ Sridhar adds.
If online reactions and user blogs are anything to go by, consumers really appreciated the expansive high-resolution smart screen, along with smartphone portability and on-the-go usability. Innovations around pen-input technology, called the S Pen, combined with Galaxy Note II’s full touch screen enhanced user experience.
According to Sridhar, investments in such innovation also proved critical. “The context should also be studied against the then forthcoming launch of Apple’s iPhone 5, which Samsung Galaxy Note II is designed to compete with. Samsung can’t afford to settle with a lesser product while competing with other top brands. The price of Galaxy Note II, which was a kept a bit low, also made an impact. Indian consumers are still value seekers. The average Indian consumer feels good about buying a product with comparable features from a good brand and at a competitive price. The fact is, the competitive pricing can be seen as the icing on the cake,” concludes Sridhar.
The well-orchestrated plan worked for Samsung. A Gartner report indicates, in 2012, Samsung sold 384.6 million mobile phones, 53.5 per cent of which were smartphones. Riding on the Galaxy Note and Galaxy Note II, Samsung ended the year in the number one position, in both worldwide smartphone sales and overall mobile phone sales.
WHERE IT STANDS
Launch budget Rs 30 crore
WHAT WORKED
Emphasis on innovation
Attractive price
Expanding customer interface
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