Samsung New Zealand has used Apple’s entry into foldable smartphones as the basis for a social campaign promoting its Galaxy Z Fold8. The campaign centres on a Palmerston North man named Tim Cook, who shares a name with Apple executive chairman Tim Cook.
The campaign appeared shortly after Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo on September 9, its first foldable iPhone. Apple said the device has a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display, with prices starting at US$1,999.
Samsung New Zealand introduced the campaign by announcing that “Tim Cook has switched to Samsung,” before identifying him as the Tim Cook from Palmerston North. Samsung’s social post said Cook had moved to the Galaxy Z8 series and credited Madison Hill and Cheil New Zealand for the campaign.
The campaign videos mimic elements of Apple’s product-launch presentation style, according to The Verge, with Cook appearing in promotional footage for the Galaxy Z Fold8. The videos were released around Apple’s iPhone Duo announcement.
Samsung New Zealand also tied the campaign to its efforts to attract users from competing smartphones. Shannon Watts of Samsung New Zealand said the company was seeing more New Zealand consumers switch to Samsung, although it did not provide figures for those switches in the campaign post.
The name-based campaign follows a recent leadership change at Apple. Tim Cook became executive chairman of Apple’s board on September 1, while John Ternus succeeded him as chief executive after previously serving as senior vice president of hardware engineering.
Samsung responds across social and outdoor channels
Samsung’s response to the Apple launch extended beyond the New Zealand campaign. Reuters reported that Samsung placed billboards in Seoul, Tokyo, and London carrying messages including “Welcome to Foldables” and “The World’s Lightest Fold,” while also publishing a series of posts on X responding to Apple’s announcement.
Those posts appeared as Apple’s September 9 launch was unfolding. Samsung’s messages included “reheating our leftovers” and “So far, so same,” both referring to Apple’s entry into foldable smartphones.
Apple enters the foldable market
Samsung launched its first mass-market foldable smartphone in 2019. It has since released eight generations of foldable devices, according to Reuters, while the iPhone Duo represents Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
Apple’s entry also brings a new competitor into a segment where Samsung already holds a large share. Counterpoint Research expects Samsung to account for 38% of the foldable smartphone market in 2026, while Apple is expected to take 25%, Reuters reported.
Liz Lee, associate director at Counterpoint Research, said Samsung was expected to face the most visible share pressure following Apple’s entry, while retaining advantages from its scale, experience, and global distribution.
Samsung also referred to devices beyond its book-style foldables during Apple’s launch, posting, “Making us wait? Fine. We’ll be over here, folding 3 ways,” in reference to its tri-fold hardware.
Apple’s announcement also drew responses from brands outside Samsung. Duolingo posted about Apple’s use of the “Duo” name on X during the launch, which prompted Samsung Mobile US to respond that Apple had copied Samsung as well.
Motorola also posted a teaser for another passport-style Razr Fold shortly after Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo.
Samsung’s previous Apple responses
The latest campaign follows earlier Samsung advertising built around Apple products and marketing. The Verge noted that Samsung has previously targeted iPhone launch queues, Apple’s Genius Bar, hardware differences between the companies’ phones, and other elements of Apple’s marketing and products.
Samsung also targeted Apple’s lack of a foldable iPhone in its 2022 “On the Fence” campaign. The advertising promoted Samsung’s foldable devices while Apple had yet to enter the category.
Another response came in May 2024, after Apple released its “Crush!” advertisement for the iPad Pro. The Apple commercial showed instruments, art materials, and other creative tools being compressed by a hydraulic press before revealing the iPad Pro.
Samsung responded days later with “Creativity Cannot be Crushed,” an advertisement for the Galaxy Tab S9 that reused visual elements associated with Apple’s commercial. Marketing Dive reported that agency BBH USA and filmmaker Zen Pace produced Samsung’s response in a matter of days.
A BBH USA spokesperson said the Samsung campaign ran on social channels without paid media support.
(Photo by BoliviaInteligente)
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