With elections on the horizon, Samsung makes another push for Busan Expo 2030

Samsung seems to be taking every opportunity to promote its bid for the 2030 Busan Expo. Some might recall that, even though the company didn't have as big of a presence at MWC 2023 as other smartphone markers, Samsung essentially used Mobile World Congress as a launchpad to advertise Busan World Expo 2030. It is no surprise then that the company adopted a similar strategy at the ongoing IFA 2023 event in Berlin.

As technology fans gather up for IFA 2023, inevitably, they're exposed to Samsung Electronics' adverts for the 2030 Busan Expo. The Korean tech giant installed 60 promotional flags at the two entrances of City Cube Berlin, where IFA takes place.

Furthermore, Samsung posted promotional material throughout the exhibition hall and included the Busan Expo emblem in its new product video, screened on a 20-meter-wide display.

The company also made sure to advertise Busan Expo 2030 in many places in downtown Berlin and had the logo shown at the Alexa branch of Media Markt.

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By now, it's almost a guarantee that World Expo 2030 will take place in Busan

For more context, World Expo 2030 is a proposed fair for 2030, but its location has yet to be determined. Candidates include Rome in Italy, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Busan in South Korea.

Russia proposed a bid for Moscow but withdrew in May 2022 after its military invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine also proposed Odesa as a potential location for Expo 2030; However, it appears that the port city has been excluded from the upcoming election for World Expo 2030.

According to the Bureau International des Expositions, elections will be held in November 2023 for three candidates: Rome, Riyadh, and Busan.

Although there's no way to be sure where Expo 2030 will take place, Samsung appears to have gone above and beyond promoting Busan leading up to these elections. And by now, it almost feels like the company alone may have already secured the vote for Korea. Nevertheless, time will tell whether Samsung's efforts will pay off. We'll find out in November.

Image credit: Samsung

Mihai Matei - Senior Editor

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First Samsung device: SGH-A800

Mihai is a blogger and column writer at SamMobile. His first Samsung phone was an A800 which took a lot of beating, and a part of him still misses the novelty of the clamshell design. In his free time, he enjoys watching shows, documentaries, and stand-up comedy; listening to music, taking walks, and occasionally playing old(er) video games.

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