Brand image: 1 up

It wasn’t long ago that Samsung was in the news for its faulty Galaxy Note 7; the brand has come up with a heartwarming commercial that tries to negate the shortcomings and rebuild its reputation

Taking an unconventional step in conceptualising an ad campaign can come a long way in creating consumer connect, which in today’s world is a must for any brand’s sustenance.

Samsung India followed the same gut by hitting the emotional chord of their brand and not focusing on the ultramodern technologies used in their product.

Samsung’s latest campaign is focused on the brand’s initiative of taking consumer service to the doorstep, in both rural and urban India.

Aptly titled #SamsungCares, the advert features a visually challenged protagonist. Yes, a visually challenged protagonist in a television commercial.

The campaign is as unique as it sounds, and reinforces the brand’s commitment to consumer care. In perfect sync with the home appliance giant’s vision and values, #SamsungCares is a compelling narrative that will keep you stuck to the screen throughout the four minutes.

The four-minute film takes you through the journey of a Samsung Service Engineer, Amit, who goes the extra mile to deliver more than just his service – to deliver happiness.

Making his way through rough landscapes, blocked hill roads, and a lot of other barriers, Amit ensures that he reaches the hilly area and repairs the television on time, as promised. And as he reaches, he discovers that the place is a hostel for the visually challenged.

After applying necessary fixes to the TV, he turns it on, as everyone from the hostel gather to listen to one of them perform on air. The heartwarming smile it puts on everyone’s faces will make you shed a tear or two.

Evidently content and happy with his contribution in making the children in the hostel happy, Amit leaves with a broad smile on his face as the voiceover fades in – “Rishtey nibhane ke liye kabhi thoda door jana padta hai…” (Sometimes, you have to go a little further to keep up relationships).

The film was conceptualised by Cheil India. Shot in the beautiful valleys of Kullu Manali, #SamsungCares was directed by Aupam Mishra.

The cheering music composed by Dhruv Ghanekar takes the ad to a whole new level, with of course the scintillating voice of Mohit Chauhan singing “Behechala”.

Released on December 30, the film already has over 3.3 crore views on YouTube; the campaign is clearly a success.The brand’s commitment towards superior service is reinforced and the image of a consumer service oriented brand.

While the ad is undoubtedly heartwarming and good to watch, the on-field service of the brand is debatable until real-time consumer reviews are received.Standing by the service promised in the advert is a tough ball game.