Samsung is no stranger to setting rival smartphone brands on fire, and its latest marketing campaign is targeting its nemesis – Apple. Two ads recently aired showing the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra’s camera battling the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
The first spot, which is only 15 seconds long, underlines the space zoom function of the Samsung flagship. Both phones are aimed at and zoom in on the moon, but the Galaxy S21 Ultra goes farther than the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Samsung’s intent to bring the Ultra’s 100x digital zoom capabilities back home compared to the iPhone’s 12x digital range bring.
Samsung’s second clip also targets the iPhone 12 Pro Max shooters with a toasted cheese sandwich as a theme. The 108MP shooter of the Galaxy S21 Ultra is compared to the 12MP camera of the iPhone. Samsung implies that the higher megapixel count of its sensor results in a more detailed image.
If those two examples weren’t mad enough, Samsung is going with “Your phone upgrade shouldn’t be a downgrade” takeaway. Ouch.
Galaxy S21 Ultra versus iPhone 12 Pro Max: which camera system is better?
A Samsung ad would put their product in a fairer light. But which phone is the better camera array on?
Our Robert Triggs recently used the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro Max side by side in an extensive camera shootout. Ultimately, the Samsung proved to be the most consistent in several scenarios. The iPhone, however, wasn’t far behind with more realistic color production and better white balance in some scenes.
This isn’t the first time a Samsung ad has tackled Apple. Samsung’s “Ingenius” series, broadcast in 2018, mocked Apple employees. Samsung also previously criticized Apple for dropping the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 series, only to do just that with the Galaxy Note 10 series. While Samsung embarrassedly dropped the ads after this debacle, the newest pair of ads should age a little more gracefully. Camera performance is a much better angle of attack for Samsung.
While Samsung may have scored another marketing blow this year, Apple is still in a better position to win the battle. Apple was the top-selling smartphone brand in the fourth quarter of 2020, while the iPhone 12 series remained the world’s most lucrative and best-selling smartphone series in the first quarter of 2021. This trend is likely to continue in the next quarter. While the Galaxy S21 series is helping Samsung make record profits in mobile devices, it’s clear that the company still feels a little threatened by its American rival.
What do you think of Samsung’s latest marketing roles? Which phone do you think has the better camera system? Let us know in the comments below!