Samsung: Ostrich
Following the Galaxy Note 7 crisis, Samsung tasked Leo Burnett Chicago with rebuilding brand trust and emotional connection. They needed to launch the Galaxy S8 and Gear VR by shifting focus from technical specifications to a human-centric philosophy that inspired global audiences to overcome their own perceived limits and 'do what you can't' in their daily lives.
Creative Idea
A flightless ostrich uses a VR headset to learn how to fly against all odds.
Samsung used a CGI ostrich that learns to fly via a VR headset to personify the brand's 'Do What You Can't' philosophy, turning a technical product into an emotional symbol of overcoming impossible barriers and defying expectations.
How a Flightless Bird Rebuilt a Global Brand
The Anatomy of a Digital Miracle
To achieve the necessary emotional range, Leo Burnett Chicago and director Matthijs Van Heijningen bypassed live animals for a fully photo - real CG creation. Handled by MPC, the project utilized the same "The Life" technology used for Disney’s *The Jungle Book*. The VFX team spent months obsessing over anatomical accuracy, specifically the "nurgles" - the small bumps on an ostrich's neck - and skin tension to ensure the bird felt tangible. While the ostrich was digital, the production filmed on location in South Africa using real birds as lighting and movement references to ground the character in reality.
Rocket Man and the Note 7 Recovery
The choice of Elton John’s "Rocket Man" provided the emotional backbone for a brand in crisis. Launched on March 29, 2017, at the Samsung Galaxy S8 Unpacked event, the film was a strategic pivot away from "spec - heavy" advertising. Following the Galaxy Note 7 recall, Samsung needed to shift consumer perception from engineering to human - centric values. Industry analysts noted the irony of using a flightless bird as a metaphor for a company struggling to "fly" again after a major PR disaster.
Defying Gravity and the Specs
The campaign marked the birth of the #DoWhatYouCant philosophy, moving Samsung into purpose - driven storytelling. It is widely cited as the most effective VR advertisement because it ignores hardware specs like pixels or RAM, focusing instead on the *feeling* of the impossible. The strategy worked; the ad generated over 18 million views in its first week and was credited with a significant lift in brand sentiment, proving that a grounded bird could indeed soar if it just believed.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Samsung's cutting-edge VR technology and a brand philosophy centered on defying impossible barriers and pushing the limits of what is possible.
Category
Tech brands typically focus on cold hardware specs, processing power, and literal product demonstrations rather than emotional storytelling.
Customer
Consumers felt disillusioned by tech failures and craved emotional inspiration rather than just another gadget or technical feature list.
Culture
A growing cultural desire for purpose-driven brands that empower individuals to transcend their physical or social limitations through innovative tools.
Company
Samsung's cutting-edge VR technology and a brand philosophy centered on defying impossible barriers and pushing the limits of what is possible.
Category
Tech brands typically focus on cold hardware specs, processing power, and literal product demonstrations rather than emotional storytelling.
Strategy:
Use a biological impossibility as a metaphor to reposition technical innovation as a catalyst for human defiance.
Customer
Consumers felt disillusioned by tech failures and craved emotional inspiration rather than just another gadget or technical feature list.
Culture
A growing cultural desire for purpose-driven brands that empower individuals to transcend their physical or social limitations through innovative tools.
Strategy:
Use a biological impossibility as a metaphor to reposition technical innovation as a catalyst for human defiance.
Results
The 'Ostrich' campaign achieved massive viral reach, garnering over 18 million views on YouTube within its first week. It became one of the most decorated commercials of the decade, winning a total of 36 major industry awards in its first year. These accolades included 7 Cannes Lions (including 3 Gold Lions), 13 One Show awards (including 7 Gold Pencils), 7 Clio Awards (including 1 Gold), and 3 VES Awards. Strategically, the campaign was credited with helping Samsung recover its brand image following the Galaxy Note 7 recall, successfully shifting consumer perception from 'engineering-focused' to 'human-centric' and establishing the long-term #DoWhatYouCant brand philosophy.
18M+
YouTube views in first week
36
Major industry awards won
7
Cannes Lions including 3 Gold
Strategy Technique
Build a Brand Myth
Samsung moved beyond technical specifications to create a legendary narrative about defying limits, transforming the brand from a hardware manufacturer into a champion of human aspiration and impossible achievements.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Tell a story: Against all odds
By depicting a flightless bird achieving the impossible through technology, the campaign creates a powerful emotional metaphor for human potential and Samsung's own resilience, making the hardware feel like a tool for dreams.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The campaign achieves a rare emotional resonance by combining hyper-realistic creature animation with a narrative metaphor that humanizes technical hardware.
MPC utilized 'The Life' technology to create a fully photo-real CG ostrich with anatomical precision, including skin tension and 'nurgles'.
The use of Elton John’s 'Rocket Man' provides the essential emotional backbone and a lyrical parallel to the ostrich's impossible dream.
The character animation successfully imbues a flightless bird with human-like expressions and a sense of wonder without breaking realism.
Filmed on location in South Africa, the live-action plates provide a grounded, naturalistic environment that makes the CG integration seamless.
The magic arises from the contrast between the high-tech VFX execution and the low-tech, organic setting, making the VR experience feel like a natural evolution of the bird's reality.
