You can’t help but read the title of Samsung’s brand platform by Mother, “Inspired by a True Photo,” and think it’s a subtle dig at iPhone. And if you’re privy to the contents of the press release, “Inspired by a True Photo rewrites the norms of photography campaigns that have preceded it, by not just championing real-life consumer photos, but by simply taking these images and making them the start of a creative journey,” you can’t help but smile knowingly.
Mother and new client, Samsung, have read the mood of the moment perfectly. Right now, “creators” (and that’s all people) are being encouraged to “reshape the world” (WeTransfer), “make the world make” (Pinterest) and “start something” (TikTok) – not capture, but create.
Samsung’s message is that a real-life moment captured in a single photo is the starting point for creativity in a range of forms such as film and music.
“This new platform is a completely original way to talk about smartphone photography and will open us up to a totally new audience. Camera technology has evolved rapidly over the past few years, but the way people use those photos has evolved even faster, morphing into its own form of instant communication,” stated Sharon Hegarty, marketing director, Samsung Electronics UK & Ireland.
“Everyone can claim to have a great camera in their pocket but it’s not just about the megapixels or the perfect framing; we believe it’s what you do with the photo that counts. We want this new concept to focus in on the people behind the camera, because at Samsung, we believe they are the next big upgrade.”
The first piece of content inspired by a true photo is a TVC titled, Onions. Its starting point was a real-life photo of a sack of onions taken on a Samsung smartphone by @scottanders44. Sam Hibbard of Somesuch London turned it into a 90-second film about young love, infused with his signature comedic and surreal notes.
“The advert expresses the raw human emotion that can be unleashed from a beautifully shot, yet achingly simple, photograph,” Samsung notes. It was launched on Channel 4 on Sunday, October 4, and will move onto various channels in the coming months. The campaign coincides with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE and Samsung is encouraging its customers to upload their real-life photos by using #withGalaxy, for the chance to have their image chosen, and the subject of their photograph influencing unusual creations in arts and culture.
Hibbard commented, “It was hugely motivating to be able to direct this incredible piece of content with such a single-minded focus. Rarely are we given the creative freedom to seek inspiration from things that may usually pass us by. A photo of a bag of onions is just that, a bag of onions. Until you think about the way this ubiquitous veg is a cultural connector, can elicit emotion, and has the potential to bring people together. Every creative choice I made in the advert was purposeful and took inspiration from the photo and showed me that we can seek inspiration in the things that we encounter in real-life, every day.”
Alex Conaway, Head of Brand for Mobile, Tablets and Wearables, Samsung Electronics UK, stated, “While the rest of the industry is obsessed with the photo being the endpoint, for us that’s where the story starts – our creative leap is to pick up where other brands left off and continue that conversation. Sam’s beautiful and unique TVC is just the beginning of this story, and we’re excited to see what our #withGalaxy images can inspire next.”
Samsung has promised that its “fresh approach will see unexpected cultural collaborations and industry-first announcements, working with up-and-coming talent” in the music world in the near future.
Credits:
Creative Agency: Mother London
Director: Sam Hibbard
Production Company: Somesuch
PR Support: Ketchum
Media Support: Starcom
Social Support: RAPP
