Samsung Mobile
Class Project
Portland State University
Client
Samsung Mobile
Role
Strategist
Context
For more than 86 years, Samsung has been a leader in innovation — producing smartphones, smart appliances, audio systems, and display technology.
Despite this breadth of innovation, Samsung’s smartphone line suffers from an awareness gap: consumers recognize the brand, but they often don’t understand the advanced, differentiated features built into the devices. This leaves Samsung vulnerable as competitors invest heavily in lifestyle-driven branding.
The Problem
Consumers see Samsung as a tech company, not a lifestyle solution.
The brand communicates innovation, but it doesn’t clearly articulate what that innovation means for people in their day-to-day lives.
Agencies care about this because the real strategic challenge isn’t “sell the phone.”
It’s reframe the brand’s role in culture and in the consumer’s life.
Strategic Approach
My goal as a strategist was to bridge the gap between Samsung’s product capabilities and consumers’ emotional needs.
Research Focus
How people interact with their devices daily
What emotional drivers influence smartphone choice
Where competitors are winning the messaging battle
How Samsung’s ecosystem enhances everyday convenience
What unmet needs exist in the smartphone category
Through this research, one theme emerged consistently: People don’t necessarily want more technology — they want technology that makes life feel easier and more present.
Strategic Implication
Shift Samsung’s smartphone messaging from “Look what this phone can do” to
“Look what this phone helps you do.”
The emphasis becomes:
Seamless living
Effortless connection
Technology that adapts to life, not the other way around
This opens the door for campaigns rooted in presence, calm, and comfort — a differentiated angle in a category obsessed with specs.
Positioning Statement
Samsung is the smartphone brand that removes friction from your life, empowering you to stay grounded, comfortable, and fully present — no matter what the day brings.
Key Insight
Samsung enables people to live comfortably in the present.
The brand’s innovation isn’t about complexity — it’s about simplicity.
Its technology removes friction, simplifies daily tasks, and helps users feel more grounded and in control.
This insight reframes Samsung’s innovation as an emotional benefit, not a technical one — which is precisely the pivot needed for modern brand storytelling.
