Samsung is known for going after Apple in its smartphone ads, with commercials that are admittedly pretty funny, depicting the Apple faithful waiting in line, for instance. Now they’ve got a new video out, but this one, rather than taking some playful punches at the big guy on the block, takes the boot to the already downtrodden BlackBerry in an attempt to win over more business customers.
Samsung obviously doesn’t mention BlackBerry by name, but it’s pretty clear who they’re meant to be talking about when depicting clueless, out-of-touch employees clinging to a platform with physical keyboards and a straightforward business focus. Using those hapless employees who haven’t converted to glorious Android as foils, Samsung uses the ad to target some prevailing beliefs about why Google’s mobile OS isn’t as good a fit for the business world as RIM’s, including those around device security.
Overall, it’s not a bad commercial, and as a bonus it features the guy who played Josh in early episodes of 30 Rock, before he was unceremoniously dumped for a Canadian guy who also ended up not actually being in the show very much. But since it depicts a clichéd startup office featuring young people freely and openly spitballing about a mobile game called “Unicorn Apocalypse,” it’s hard maintaining my feelings of good will towards this Samsung effort. Still, love it or hate it, it’s definitely worth a watch.