There is a rarely heard marketing aphorism: if you’re launching a new campaign, don’t try to make your customers scared of the product. Seems reasonable, right? In fact, evoking just about any other emotion seems preferable: curiosity, envy, hope—even hunger.
Or so I naively thought before stumbling across this Samsung flip phone ad on YouTube. Despite being a copywriter, I must admit: I don’t usually spend my spare time browsing through advertisements. But the video had accrued over 20 million views and widespread engagement—for an ad about flip phones! A technology I’d vaguely thought we all agreed to leave behind decades ago.
Of course, Samsung is not seriously trying to make their audience fear the flip phone—but the ad’s protagonists do spend the vast majority of their time on screen running in terror from the product Samsung wants us to buy—along with its cute, six-note ringtone.
Why does it work? It’s tongue-in-cheek. It leans on word play and beloved cultural touchstones. And it succeeds completely in engaging viewers while subtly plugging the phone’s attractions.
A story that pays homage to the past and the present
The ad opens on a familiar scene: five friends swapping scary stories at summer camp—albeit without the often-obligatory campfire. The subject of the current tale? A Samsung phone with the ability to hypnotize anyone who sees it.
“Apparently, you only have to look at it once, and then it gets stuck inside your mind, or something,” one of them whispers. There are some doubts, but it all changes when one girl falls prey to this irresistible invention.
The mayhem kicks off from there. The group makes a run for it—accompanied by appropriately tense string music—narrowly avoiding campers already infected with the contagion and happily using their new phones. I particularly enjoyed when one bystander offers to assist the distressed group… by calling for help on his flip phone.
After a harrowing chase, they finally make it to the apparent safety of a car and drive away—only to hear the ringtone signal that one of the devices has made it into the vehicle. A final, appropriately theatrical, scream, then the screen turns black.
Speak in a language your audience already understands
The video is a spoof on a horror story, more in the tradition of films like The Blob than the typical phone commercial. And that’s just what makes it so compelling. By applying the familiar beats of a thriller to an unexpected subject—and updating the language and styling for a twenty-first century audience—Samsung engages viewers at a deeply sentimental level.
At a time when sequels dominate the box office and audiences delight in picking out cinematic Easter eggs, this callback to the horror genre makes every second an inherent comparison to the movies we’ve seen before. Even the word play in the campaign’s tagline, “Join the flip side”, adds to the fun, riffing off of “the dark side” from Star Wars.
Even more impressive, the horror story format lends the ad tremendous economy. Though the video is a little over two minutes long, the dialogue is trimmed to the essentials, with just enough said to set up the premise, sprinkle in product capabilities, and play off of the genre.
Subvert the normal marketing dynamic
Samsung’s original storytelling brings a welcome departure from the typical marketing dynamic. Instead of blatantly praising the phone’s features, the horror story format allows them to slip in value propositions almost without you noticing.
“It’s great for group shots,” calls one camper, like a siren’s song, shortly before a member of the friend group becomes the latest victim of the craze.
The argument for the flip phone’s comeback is clear, yet unobtrusive because it belongs in the story anyway. With each tinkle of the ominous ringtone, we see shots of the phone’s sleek design, its convenient streaming features, and happy users.
Status quo content doesn’t cut it anymore
In a world where AI offers businesses fast content on a large scale, the impact of thoughtful storytelling is hard to overstate. After all, originality isn’t just for originality’s sake. When anyone can generate articles in seconds, fresh perspectives and narratives increase in rarity and value—and translate into real results and engagement. At the time of writing, the Samsung ad has garnered over 1,100 comments, praising the ad’s ingenuity, eagerly anticipating another installment, and discussing the new technology.
But this shouldn’t surprise us. Stories are a vital part of the human experience and one of the best ways we learn. Think of parables and nursery rhymes you heard as a child; we’ve been taking in information through stories all our lives.
This is a powerful lesson for marketers. AI lacks a deep understanding of these cultural touchstones and shared experiences, making it difficult to generate fresh, compelling narratives. By prioritizing quality writing and original stories that connect deeply with audiences, brands can spark action and conversions at a higher rate than surface-level messaging.
It’s time to break out from the crowd. Contact the MarketSmiths writing team to start giving your audience more of the tales they love.
