Samsung: Try On A Six [video]

Credits & Description:

Title: Try On A Six
Agency: R/Ga
Brand: Samsung
Country: USA
Advertising Agency: R/Ga, New York
Entrant Company: R/Ga, New York
Media Agency: R/Ga, New York
Pr Agency: R/Ga, New York
Production Company: R/Ga, New York
Additional Company: R/Ga, New York
Group Executive Creative Director: Albert Patton (R/Ga)
Manager, Digital Brand Creative: Kyle Lazarus (Samsung)
Copywriter: Thomas Darlow (R/Ga)
Group Executive Creative Director: Trevor Eld (R/Ga)
Executive Producer: Chris Mcclave (R/Ga)
Associate Creative Director: Ethan Schmidt (R/Ga)
Senior Producer: Patrick Mccabe (R/Ga)
Art Director: Rene Van Wonderen (R/Ga)
Director, Digital Brand Creative: John T Field (Samsung)
Creative Director: Qian Qian (R/Ga)
Technical Director, Digital Advertising: Rawle Curtis (R/Ga)
Group Account Director: Chad Wilson (R/Ga)
Sr. Software Engineer, Web Platforms: Frank Yandolino (R/Ga)
Management Supervisor: Victoria Bradbury (R/Ga)
Technology Lead: David Holm (R/Ga)
Creative Director: Tristan Kincaid (R/Ga)
Synopsis:
Samsung had just launched the new Galaxy S6 edge, a flagship device packed with new features and a stunning curved screen. There was plenty of buzz about it online, but translating that into sales can be tricky. It’s one thing to show people a new phone, but consumers are much more likely to actually buy it if they can hold it in their hand. We needed a way to let people experience the Galaxy S6 edge without having to make the trip down to the wireless store. We had to introduce and show off our newest features, and, most importantly, show people how their old phone stacked up. We were aiming for a 71% unique visit rate and a 38% visit rate from Apple devices, based off of past campaigns. The goal was to recruit new, interested users and prompt considerations/steal share from the main competitor.
Strategy:
As a leader in the smartphone category, we harnessed the power of Samsung phones to connect consumers to an innovative online experience for our new device.We targeted potential upgraders from Galaxy S5 and earlier device owners, as well as potential Apple and Android switchers.Our approach was to target consumers who would be receptive to upgrading to the new Galaxy S6 device while they were on tech driven/phone related media properties. By creating an experience that was centered around our new flagship device but controlled by the mobile device they were already holding, we created a comparison tool that gave an almost “real life” experience, without having to go to a wireless store.  In order to assess performance, tags were placed in the digital experience to track user engagement. On-site actions were observed and analyzed in order to optimize performance.
Campaign Description:
A mobile site that lets users try out the new Samsung Galaxy S6 edge using the phone they already own, by linking to a desktop site they can control with their phone.Users control a virtual Galaxy S6 on screen simply by moving their physical device in their hands. Rather than relying on some webcam trick, the user’s accelerometer is used to link their device to the one onscreen. Every move they make is mirrored by the onscreen device, giving them a firsthand view of every angle and feature. Throughout the experience, spontaneous video demonstrations explain key features, giving the same kind of information you’d get from an in-store salesperson. It even knew the exact kind of device users were holding, sending them custom alerts pointing out the differences between their phone and a Galaxy S6.  It’s a brand new way to try out a brand new device, making the barrier
Execution:
We leveraged WebGL technology to display a fully rendered 3D model of the phone within the user’s browser window. The connection between their existing phone and the virtual one on the site was enabled using node.js and socket.io connections. Videos were deployed at key points based on the physical position of the user’s device. The experience connected to a user’s phone via a dedicated mobile site. The build was also customized to enable it to run on more than 80 interactive touchscreen kiosks in malls across the country. Online advertising also drove to the experience. Featured prominently on the Samsung.com homepage, it was accessible to all US-based visitors.We adopted an agile, iterative approach to the build, continuously refining the CG elements and the site itself. Concepting, development, and deployment took approximately 3 months.
Outcome:
The execution was successful at driving audience interest with 97% unique visit rate. Over half (51%) of all visits came from specifically from Apple devices. Paid support for the execution drove qualified traffic, raising time on side from 3 minutes to 7 minutes and lowering bounce rate from 60% to 47%. Over the course of the campaign, there were over 1,200,000 visits to the experience.