Samsung Camera NX Series: David Bailey
Samsung needed to convince amateur photographers that its new NX camera enabled professional-quality shots, despite being an underdog in a market dominated by Nikon and Canon. The goal was to significantly increase consideration and market share for Samsung cameras.
Creative Idea
Ordinary David Baileys proved Samsung's camera made anyone shoot like a pro.
To prove Samsung's NX camera allowed amateurs to shoot like pros, the campaign recruited 143 ordinary David Baileys. By having these everyday individuals produce professional-grade photos, it credibly demonstrated the camera's ease of use, challenging market perceptions and driving sales.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Samsung's new NX camera offered advanced features with an intuitive design, promising professional results for any user.
Category
The camera market was dominated by brands implying professional skill, making amateurs doubt their ability with advanced tech.
Customer
Amateur photographers desired professional-quality images but felt intimidated by complex cameras and established brand perceptions.
Culture
A culture fascinated by celebrity endorsements and the power of a famous name, even when playfully subverted.
Company
Samsung's new NX camera offered advanced features with an intuitive design, promising professional results for any user.
Category
The camera market was dominated by brands implying professional skill, making amateurs doubt their ability with advanced tech.
Strategy:
Leverage an unexpected collective identity to democratize perceived expertise and challenge category norms.
Customer
Amateur photographers desired professional-quality images but felt intimidated by complex cameras and established brand perceptions.
Culture
A culture fascinated by celebrity endorsements and the power of a famous name, even when playfully subverted.
Strategy:
Leverage an unexpected collective identity to democratize perceived expertise and challenge category norms.
Results
The David Baileys accumulated nearly 900,000 views on YouTube. The campaign generated 11 million impressions on Facebook and 7 million on Twitter. It led to a 606% increase in consideration of Samsung cameras. There was a hike in market share from 2.8% to 55.0%. The camera sold out in just 11 weeks. The campaign also prompted 13,000 applications from people wanting to be honorary David Baileys, and 35% of all positive buzz was generated through social media, even outperforming the impact of TV spots during Britain's X Factor.
55.0%
market share
606%
increase in consideration
11 weeks
camera sold out
Strategy Technique
Reverse Expectations
It reversed the expectation that only professional photographers could achieve stunning results with advanced cameras. By using ordinary people, it proved Samsung's camera democratized professional-level photography.
Creative Technique
Conduct an Experiment
The campaign conducted a real-world experiment, giving cameras to 143 ordinary people named David Bailey. This proved the camera's ease of use by showing amateurs could achieve professional results.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
This campaign's exceptional craft lay in its strategic curation and masterful presentation of thousands of user-generated photographs and masterclass videos, effectively demonstrating the camera's capabilities across a sophisticated digital ecosystem and compelling traditional media.
The entire campaign was built around showcasing the 'professional-quality shots' captured by ordinary individuals, directly demonstrating the camera's capabilities and providing the hero visual content for all campaign touchpoints.
The compelling and creative copy used across recruitment channels, from newspaper ads and social media calls-to-action to unique milk carton ads, was instrumental in attracting and engaging the 143 David Baileys.
The robust online gallery on Facebook and the dedicated microsite were expertly developed to host, display, and categorize thousands of user-generated photos and videos, creating an interactive and scalable hub for the campaign.
The consistent visual presentation of the user-generated photography across print, outdoor, and digital platforms, alongside the branding for the 'Masterclasses' and recruitment materials, ensured a cohesive and professional campaign aesthetic.
The campaign's magic came from the seamless integration of authentic user-generated photographic content displayed through expertly crafted digital platforms, all initiated by clever copywriting and unified by strong art direction.
