Samsung relying on 'experiential' marketing to hype its products

Advertising is no longer what it used to be. The emergence of new mediums has challenged creatives to come up with campaigns better suited to these mediums. Online marketing done right can be very lucrative as it offers a greater potential of reaching people far and wide but it's becoming harder to capitalize on this medium particularly when people are actively blocking ads to improve their online experience. Samsung is aware of this challenge which is why it's increasingly relying on “experiential” marketing and social media to hype its products, according to Marc Mathieu, chief marketing officer at Samsung Electronics America.

“Marketing used to be about creating a myth and telling it, and now it’s about finding a truth and sharing it,” Mathieu said on the WSJ Media Mix podcast. One of the initiatives that Samsung took was the launch of its massive showroom and event space in New York City earlier this year called Samsung 837. The company describes it as a “technology playground” where potential customers can not only experience its products but also be inspired by them enough to share their experiences on social media. In line with its experiential marketing philosophy, Samsung is leaning on virtual reality to demonstrate its products at various events in a virtual reality environment. Mathieu says that enabling people to experience Samsung's products in virtual reality makes them very likely to talk about it online and social media. Mathieu further explained Samsung's marketing strategy on the WSJ Media Mix podcast.