Samsung Galaxy Gear ad: So bad, it's good?
Shannon Rae Green hosts ZoomIN, covering the awkward ad for Samsung's Galaxy Gear Smartwatch. Shannon Rae Green
Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch in Berlin, Germany.(Photo: Michael Sohn AP)
Are you geared up? No, Samsung. And not sure we want to be if it looks anything like this advertisement.
The tech company's new commercial for the Galaxy Gear smartwatch[1] brings up questions like, as a woman, how should you deal with a man with stalker tendencies?
Where will those photos taken of your backside without permission while snowboarding end up on the Internet? Was your wine spiked?
But the creepy actions of the main character are fine in the name of technology, according to Samsung.
The ad features three people at a ski resort, a man with a smartphone, another guy with the Galaxy Gear smartwatch and an attractive blond woman. Both men are vying for her attention.
The guy with the smartphone — clearly behind the times — fumbles with his phone, while the guy that has a Samsung is portrayed as debonair and tech-savvy and scores the woman's number by asking her whether she wants to see something cool. My thought: Refuse, lady. But she doesn't.
REVIEW: Samsung smartwatch ticks in the right direction[2]
The suave guy asks her to say her digits into his smartwatch. Then her phone rings.
"Hey pretty lady. It's me Jack," he says. She picks up her phone, giggles and says, "Hi, I'm Amy." The watch, which costs $299.99 and is compatible with Samsung's Galaxy Note 3, has allowed for a smooth introduction.
The ad does explain several smartwatch features, including the ability to use voice commands to place calls, compose messages, schedule events and check weather and a 1.9-MP auto-focus camera in the strap of the watch that lets the user take pictures and video.
As the guy woos the woman on the balcony of the ski lodge, we see that the watch acts as a music player also. "Snow love" creates ambience for what viewers expect to be a budding friendship between debonair guy and blond woman.
Unfortunately, we already finished our five worst ads of 2013 because this one deserves to be in the running for cheesiest advertisement of the year.
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References
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2013/09/04/galaxy-gear-first-impression/2763917/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/baig/2013/10/01/baig-review-samsung-galaxygear-smartwatch/2898011/ (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/12/23/worst-ads-2013-worst-ads/4111489/ (www.usatoday.com)