[Initial Report] "Samsung Electronics' Bold Decision Paid Off"

Olympic Podium Athletes Captured Directly
AI Smartphone 'Victory Selfie' Debuts
Maximizing Sharing of Glorious Moments with Fans

Kwangho Lee, Head of the Industrial IT Division Corporate Team

Samsung Electronics is attracting global attention at the 2024 Paris Olympics with innovative marketing that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI). At this Olympics, Samsung Electronics collaborated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee to introduce a new type of ‘Victory Selfie’ program for the first time through the AI smartphone, the ‘Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition.’ This program allows athletes standing on the medal podium to capture their moment of glory themselves, marking a first in Olympic history.

Until now, all personal belongings, including mobile phones, were prohibited during award ceremonies, and only official Olympic media could film from a distance on the podium. However, at this Paris Olympics, volunteers handed the Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition to athletes after medal presentations, enabling them to record their proud moments directly. This provided athletes with a special opportunity to personally experience and share their significant moments.

To facilitate this, Samsung Electronics gifted the Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition to approximately 17,000 athletes from various countries. This strategy went beyond simple product promotion, focusing on sharing the daily lives of Olympic participants with the world in real time. Unlike traditional media methods, this approach allowed athletes to broadcast their experiences directly, creating more personal and authentic content.

Additionally, Samsung Electronics offered live streaming services of major events such as the opening ceremony and sailing competitions through the Galaxy S24 Ultra. This strategy is seen as aligning with modern media consumption patterns that prioritize personalized digital experiences over traditional broadcasting media. The Galaxy S24 Ultra provides high-definition video and audio in real time and includes features that allow users to watch events from desired angles and perspectives. This delivers a more vivid and immersive experience to fans, maximizing the appeal of sports.

Samsung Electronics’ marketing strategy emphasizes not only promoting product functions but also highlighting new experiences that AI technology can create when combined with sports. Athletes can more easily record and share their experiences, and fans can enjoy events in a more personalized way. This increases global interest in large-scale events like the Olympics and simultaneously strengthens Samsung’s technological excellence and brand image.

Samsung Electronics’ dedication to the Olympics stems from the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s ‘brand management’ policy. Chairman Lee worked to elevate the brand value to a global level, resulting in Samsung’s brand value growing approximately 30 times from $3.1 billion in 1999 to $91.4 billion in 2023. Under the leadership of Chairman Lee Jae-yong, the synergy between Samsung Electronics and the Olympics is growing stronger, representing a strategic move to enhance national interests and Samsung’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Samsung Electronics’ performance at this Paris Olympics has become an opportunity to elevate innovation and brand value beyond just products. Leveraging the global spotlight of the Olympics will be a crucial moment to further solidify Samsung Electronics’ technological prowess and brand image.