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Tag: Samsung

  • Samsung rolls out a new campaign with Alia Bhatt for Galaxy Z Series

    Samsung rolls out a new campaign with Alia Bhatt for Galaxy Z Series

    New Delhi: Samsung has launched a new campaign with actress Alia Bhatt for its recently-launched Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Z Fold4 smartphones.

    Directed by ace filmmaker Abhishek Varman, the campaign film shows Alia experiencing Galaxy Z Flip4 at a carnival while discovering the versatility of FlexCam and the nightography camera feature, along with her best friend. The carnival setting is an ideal background to express oneself in myriad ways with the stylish Galaxy Z Flip4.

    The #FlexEveryAngle digital film went live on Samsung’s social media channels.

    “I have been using the Galaxy Z series as part of my everyday professional and personal life over the past year. I look forward to adding new editions to my style essentials. Galaxy Z Flip4 and Z Fold4 resonate with my persona and depict who I am. The unique flexcam feature in Galaxy Z Flip4 allows me to shoot videos and capture shots from different angles. I am excited to be associated again with the brand to showcase their new range of foldable phones,” Alia Bhatt said.

    Over the next few months, Alia will be seen featuring in a 360-degree campaign that includes digital and outdoor activations, along with hyperlocal and data-driven videos. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, different versions of the video using Alia and her voice will be created to serve hyperlocal markets, where young smartphone users are waiting to upgrade to foldables.

    Speaking on associating with Alia Bhatt, Samsung India senior director and head of product marketing Aditya Babbar said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Alia Bhatt for the foldables for the second year as she truly embodies the attributes of Galaxy Z series. Galaxy Z Flip4 is high on style quotient and resonates with Alia’s style statement. With the launch of Galaxy Z Flip4, we look to empower our millennial and Gen Z audiences with enhanced productivity and self-expression. Using the innovative flexcam capabilities, our consumers can capture videos and photographs in angles like never before.”

    Galaxy Z Flip4 builds on the success of Samsung’s iconic form factor, adding key features, including an upgraded camera experience, a larger battery and expanded customization while maintaining its ultra-compact design. Galaxy Z Fold4 opens up new possibilities for users by delivering Samsung’s most comprehensive smartphone experience to date, offering shape-shifting design, immersive and flexible displays and PC-like multitasking features, in addition to advanced camera technology and powerful processor.

  • Chinese smartphone brands Oppo, Vivo India & Xiaomi under tax sleuths’ lens

    Chinese smartphone brands Oppo, Vivo India & Xiaomi under tax sleuths’ lens

    Mumbai: Chinese smartphone makers have once again come under the scanner of Indian agencies for cases of alleged tax evasion. Notices have been issued to Oppo, Vivo India and Xiaomi, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed Rajya Sabha recently. The three Chinese mobile phone companies, between them, hold a major share of the Indian smartphone market.

    The Finance Minister said that the department of revenue intelligence (DRI) has issued a notice to Oppo for a total customs duty of Rs 4,389 crore. This is on the grounds that misdeclaration of certain goods leads to a short payment in customs duty.

    The duty evasion is about Rs 2,981 crore, Sitharaman said replying to a question in the Upper House.

    “Undervaluation of imported goods for the purpose of payment of customs duty, that we think is an evasion of Rs 1,408 crore,” she said.

    She stated that they came voluntarily to deposit Rs 450 crore, much less than the demand of Rs 4,389 crore.

    Regarding the other companies, she said Xiaomi, which deals with assembling MI mobile phones, has been issued three show-cause notices.

    “The approximate duty liability there is about Rs 653 crore. For the three show cause notices that have been issued, they have deposited only Rs 46 lakh,” the minister said.

    She informed Rajya Sabha that a demand notice has been issued for Rs 2,217 crore for which they have deposited Rs 60 crore as a voluntary deposit.

    “Besides these, the ED is looking at 18 companies that were established by the same group as Vivo, and there they have voluntarily remitted Rs 62 crore as deposits, but the parent company outside of India has total sales of 1.25 lakh crore.

    “Of the Rs 1.25 lakh crore total sales, Vivo has transferred through these 18 companies huge amounts of funds, and it is believed that Vivo India has, in turn, remitted 0.62 lakh crore to its parent company, which is outside India,” Sitharaman said.

    In her written reply, the finance minister said a show cause notice demanding Rs 4,403.88 crore has been served on Oppo Mobiles India based on the investigation conducted by the directorate of revenue intelligence (DRI).

    Five cases of customs duty evasion have been booked against Xiaomi Technology India, she said.

    “During the period 2019 to 2022, in respect of the central board of indirect taxes & customs (CBIC), cases against 43 other such companies have been booked.”

    “‘As regards to the central board of direct taxes (CBDT), investigation directorates have undertaken search and seizure actions in cases of five groups pertaining to the telecom sector, in which tax evasion has been detected,” Sitharaman added.

    Meanwhile, the market share of these three brands, which make up the top five smartphone brands in India, has been steadily growing, despite the scrutiny. Xiaomi remained the market leader in 2022 with a share of 24 per cent, followed by Vivo with 18 per cent share and Oppo with a ten per cent share, according to a report by Cyber Media Research (CMR). The three brands, along with Realme and Korean smartphone major Samsung, account for nearly three quarters of India’s smartphone market.

  • Harman India appoints 80dB Communications as its PR Partner

    Harman India appoints 80dB Communications as its PR Partner

    Mumbai: Harman International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, has awarded its PR account in India to 80dB Communications, an integrated reputation management advisory.

    80dB Communications will be responsible for developing all PR and external communications programs aimed at showcasing the company’s innovations across its three businesses – automotive, lifestyle and digital transformation solutions.  

    Harman started its operation in India in 2009. Today, the company has more than 10,000 employees across India. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ vision, Harman has invested significant resources in building its R&D and manufacturing capabilities in India, including a state-of-the-art factory in Pune, Maharashtra, that delivers cutting-edge infotainment and audio solutions for Harman’s automotive partners.

    “We chose to partner with 80dB Communications for their creativity, insights and integrated communications approach. We look forward to working with them to create greater connections and engagement with our stakeholders and share more of our incredible brand stories”, said Harman India & DTS senior director (corporate communications) Jasleen K Makker.

    80dB Communications co-founder and Joint managing director Kiran Ray Chaudhury said, “We are thrilled to begin this exciting journey with HARMAN and look forward to this partnership to manage their strategic communications.”

  • Samsung launches innovative out-of-home campaign for WindFree AC Technology

    Samsung launches innovative out-of-home campaign for WindFree AC Technology

    Mumbai: Samsung has launched an innovative out-of-home campaign for its brand-new Split ACs with WindFree technology. The campaign is executed by Cheil India in association with Platinum Outdoor, a unit of Madison World.

    Following a two-year pandemic-mandated lockdown, the objective of the campaign is to capitalize on bringing out the best through OOH innovation and a huge revival of outdoor commute by placing large hoardings and branding at high traffic areas.  

    The campaign covers four cities across India, including Jaipur, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata. Samsung’s bright and eye-catching billboards have been placed in prominent, high traffic locations in each city, targeting high footfall locations and commuter areas.

    To creatively impact consumers, a large scale backlit cut out of AC was executed with a magnifying lens that magnifies the micro holes in the AC. The magnifying lens and AC were both backlit. ‘Samsung WindFree powerful gentle cooling’ was highlighted with acrylic letters. With the use of blue ice as a backdrop in the creatives, the campaign intended to depict a cool environment because of the ACs.   

    Samsung’s extensive one month campaign includes bright, LED-lit creatives visible on highways. With this clever, creative and striking outdoor campaign for Samsung, the brand has positioned itself to become a hot topic of conversation by discussing the importance of micro holes for clean and cool air in our homes.

    Speaking about the campaign, Samsung AC business product marketing head Ankur Kapoor said “Our latest range of premium WindFree™ air conditioners addresses consumers’ evolved home cooling needs and works efficiently by dispersing cool air through 23,000 micro holes. The new line-up is designed to give highest level of comfort by creating a still air environment, along with powerful cooling. We used innovative out of home hoardings to create awareness in key markets and it enabled us to connect with the right target audience for this product range.”

    Cheil India head- OOH business Durba Mandal said, “At Cheil India, we believe in creating both value and impact for Samsung with our focused planning approach. The brief from Samsung for its brand-new Split ACs with WindFree technology was very precise, i.e. to use the OOH format innovatively and highlight the technology feature of the newly launched range and I am glad we carried out the campaign flawlessly.”

    Platinum Outdoor and MRP CEO Dipankar Sanyal said, “We have been collaborating with Cheil for Samsung for over a decade now. It has always been our endeavor to create great work for our clients both on creative and planning using our Madison proprietary tools for sharper targeting. We are extremely happy to see our idea of bringing alive the various aspects of Samsung’s split AC with wind free technology on strategically located billboards.”

  • Samsung India announces top level organisational rejig

    Samsung India announces top level organisational rejig

    Mumbai: Samsung on Wednesday announced key organisational changes in India to generate more synergies amongst its various businesses as the company further expands its footprint in the country.

    Three new teams are being created to improve operational synergies and consumer experiences. In that direction, the company has appointed CH Choi as the new division leader for the consumer electronics business, while Jinsock Lee will be the division leader for the network business and will be based in Mumbai. Jongbum Park will continue to be the division leader for the mobile business.

    Mohandeep Singh will be new head – sales, marketing and operations for the consumer electronics business, while Raju Pullan will be the new head – sales and retail for the mobile business. Aditya Babbar will lead product marketing for the mobile business.

    The managing director of Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore Dipesh Shah will also head a newly created India Customer Experience (ICX) and business strategy team to create multiple device experience for Indian consumers.

    The new direct-to-customer team will be headed by Sumit Walia. Walia will also lead the corporate marketing team. A new enterprise business team will be headed by Akash Saxenaa.

    Asim Warsi will be pursuing a different professional path and in that, he will continue to be engaged with Samsung India, said the company.

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  • Samsung India signs Alia Bhatt as face of new flagship Galaxy Z series

    Samsung India signs Alia Bhatt as face of new flagship Galaxy Z series

    Mumbai: Samsung has signed up Bollywood actor and youth icon Alia Bhatt as the face of its newly announced flagship Galaxy Z series foldable smartphones in India.

    The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, also Samsung’s most premium foldable devices, come with an array of more optimised foldable experiences allowing consumers to unfold newer experiences, said the company in a statement.

    “Alia’s qualities and immense popularity among young Gen Z and millennial consumers make her the perfect partner to drive the adoption of Galaxy Z series foldable smartphones,” said Samsung India senior director Sumit Walia.

    “Our research shows that more and more young consumers are now looking for a new form factor for their smartphone, which is also an essential lifestyle statement. Galaxy Z series foldable smartphones will add that new dynamism to their life. Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3 5G are an amalgamation of cutting edge technology, style and premium looks, that promise a never-before smartphone experience targeted at young users,” he added.  

    Over the course of the next few months, the actor will be involved in a robust campaign that entails digital and outdoor activations.

    “It is a pleasure to be a part of their journey while adding a little to my own. The campaign has shaped up really well. I really liked the script and the communication that Samsung wants to put forth. I am really excited for the campaign to break, now,” said Alia Bhatt.

    “I have done a small test run with Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 and I feel they live up to every promise that the brand has made. Samsung’s new foldable phones look sleek and come in interesting colour options. I love the camera and the large cover screen, and also the fact that these foldable phones are very compact and portable. As for technology, it is truly cutting edge at the same time very user-friendly and easy to navigate through,” Alia added.

    Pre-bookings for Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3 will open on 24 August in India.

  • Rediffusion onboards Tathagat Jena as branch head, Delhi

    Rediffusion onboards Tathagat Jena as branch head, Delhi

    Mumbai: Ad agency Rediffusion has announced the appointment of Tathagat Jena as the head of its Delhi branch. Jena moves from the Chinese smartphone company Transsion as CMO of Infinix mobiles.

    Jena comes with over two decades of experience in brand management. He was previously associated with Samsung India where he led the marketing team for the smartphone division for nine years. Prior to that, he worked in executive roles with ad agencies like Lowe Lintas, Ogilvy & Leo Burnett, and retail brand Lladro.

    “At a time when clients are increasingly seeking ‘marketing partnerships’ from their communication agencies, Rediffusion aims to offer the complete suite of digital-first solutions & demonstrate capabilities beyond just communications,” Jena said. “Along the way, I hope to have some fun co-creating success stories that Rediffusion is famous for.”

    Welcoming Jena on board, Rediffusion’s joint president Navonil Chatterjee said, “In Tatha we have a good combo of a good agency man and a matured client hand, especially one who has worked in a highly competitive category like mobile handsets. He will now bring all those learnings to Rediffusion Delhi. For us Delhi was one of our most important geographies with Maruti, Airtel, Pepsi all being our clients born in that office. Tatha is tasked to bring back the effervescence to the Delhi office. We have signed up some very interesting and live-wire businesses in Delhi and we look forward to a big Rediffusion operation in India’s capital city in the days to come. Delhi is a big priority for us going forward.”

  • Twitter APAC VP Maya Hari lands global role

    Twitter APAC VP Maya Hari lands global role

    NEW DELHI: Twitter Asia Pacific vice president & MD Maya Hari has been assigned a new global role as VP of global strategy and operations. She will continue to be based in Singapore, and will lead a global team.

    Hari’s commercial role will encompass product strategy, operations, innovation and automation to enable commercial and content partnerships efforts around the world. She has been leading Twitter's APAC business, excluding Japan and South Korea, for the past four years. Prior to this, she was managing director of southeast Asia and India and a senior director of product strategy and sales.

    "In my new role, I am excited to work with him and our other international leaders to grow our businesses around the world and find new opportunities for Twitter to serve the global public conversation,” she said in a statement to the press.

     

     

    Hari has been with Twitter for seven years. She previously spent more than 15 years in the digital media, mobile and ecommerce industries across the US and in Asia Pacific for brands such as Samsung, Google, Microsoft and Cisco.

    Twitter has also elevated Yu Sasamoto to head its unified regional structure that brings the microblogging site’s Japan, South Korea and Asia Pacific operations together. Sasamoto has been leading the social network's Japan and South Korea offices for the past seven years. He will take up leadership of the unified JAPAC region from 1 May, and is set to move to Twitter's APAC headquarters in Singapore. He will continue to serve as the general manager of Twitter Japan and head of Twitter Client Solutions in Japan until his successor is hired in Tokyo. The JAPAC region will cover Australia, greater China, Japan, India, New Zealand, southeast Asia and South Korea.

    Hari commented: "We are delighted that Yu-san will be stepping into this expanded role—it is a testament to everything he's achieved at Twitter to date, leading Japan to become among our largest revenue markets globally."

  • TikTok debuts on TV with Samsung

    TikTok debuts on TV with Samsung

    New Delhi: Samsung Electronics and TikTok have announced a new app partnership that brings TikTok’s trending content into the home. TikTok will be exclusively available on Samsung Smart TVs in Europe, launching first for UK customers.

     

    The new app has been specifically created for a home-viewing experience, allowing people to view the ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ feeds, as well as the majority of the most liked and viewed content on TikTok. This content has been organised into 12 categories covering everything from gaming and comedy, to food and animals. The entertainment doesn’t stop there though, as people can also view #LearnOnTikTok videos so they can get the latest cooking hacks, fitness tips, and fun facts that TikTok has to offer.

     

    TikTok can be accessed on all Samsung Smart TV models from 2018-2020 onwards] which include Samsung’s 4K and 8K TVs as well as its smart monitor, The Premiere, The Frame and The Serif. TikTok can be easily downloadable via the Samsung Smart TV App Store and will now be pre-installed onto all new Samsung TVs purchased. What’s more, content will be available for anybody to enjoy – whether you have a TikTok account or not.

     

    Users will be able to view, like and comment on trending videos, giving households the opportunity to experience and enjoy TikTok’s top content. Users will also be able to block or mark content they are not interested in, with TikTok automatically operating in Restricted Mode a feature that filters out content that may not be appropriate for all audiences.

     

    “We are exceptionally proud and excited to be able to launch the TikTok app on our Smart TVs. At Samsung, we strive to give our customers an unrivalled content offering to guarantee endless entertainment and the latest addition of TikTok to our app line-up unlocks a new entertainment experience. With our QLED technology, customers will be able to watch the TikTok content creations on a big screen with lifelike picture resolution to maximise their viewing experience” said Samsung Electronics (UK) director TV/AV Dan Hastings,

     

    TikTok UK GM Rich Waterworth said: “The past year has dramatically changed the way we live, work and play. More of us are spending more time at home, watching TV with loved ones and enjoying content that entertains and educates through our smartphones.

     

    This has led us to think about how we can bring the creativity and joy of TikTok to even more people across the UK. Our new TikTok app will do just that, giving the millions of Samsung TV owners access to our trending recipe hacks, comedy skits, challenges and more – straight into living rooms across the country.”

  • Akila Jayaram joins Cheil India as VP

    Akila Jayaram joins Cheil India as VP

    NEW DELHI: Cheil India has roped in former Essence AVP Akila Jayaraman as its VP. She will be responsible for leading the media efforts for Samsung India, across all categories. 

    Jayaraman has earlier worked with Madhouse as director – performance marketing. She was instrumental in building Madhouse’s mobile performance marketing practice and their marketing insights division. 

    She has also worked with Comviva Technologies, Bharti Airtel, Ericsson India, and Feedback Consulting.