2024-03-12 08:00:15
Artificial Intelligence is here to stay and generates fears and doubts among users. The great challenge for brands is to convey that it is safe and reliable.
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During the Mobile World Congress 2024 we have had the opportunity to see many of the new developments from the main technological manufacturers, many of them directly related to Artificial Intelligence, and that is where Samsung has made a bigger bet than most market players. At this point we have been able to interview Laura Bárcena, the PR Manager of Samsung Electronics Spain, responsible for public relations and communication of the brand, the person in charge (along with her team) of communicating the company’s news, changes and launches.
We have asked him regarding the challenges of communicating the benefits of Artificial Intelligencethe fears of users and the challenges they face with a launch as important as this one from Samsung for the future are no longer just smartphonesbut it is a complete brand strategy where the AI seal comes to cover the entire product shelfnot only phones, but SmartTV, washing machine or any appliance you can imagine.
Hello Laura, thank you very much for the interview, I don’t want to ramble too much, so let’s go straight, what reception are the Samsung Galaxy S24 having during the first weeks compared to previous generations?
The truth is that we are tremendously happy, it is true that the pre-purchase let’s say that it gave us a little clue of the good reception that the product was having, and with sales it is really confirming that interest, in this case from the Spanish market and from our users for the S24. I think it is a very different product, and it seems that it has managed to catch people’s attention with all the artificial intelligence news.
What I tell you, super happy, both in the general part in terms of sales and market, and also in the communication partwhich is the one that affects me directly, because in the end being lucky enough to be able to plan and launch a product so important and so different, with respect to everything that was on the market until now, it makes our work more fun, also more meaningful. The results have also been consistent, which is what is important.
AI is one of the strong points of the new Samsung Galaxy S24, is it going to reach the devices that Samsung already has on the market?
Yes, in fact, a few days ago, just before the Mobile World Congress, we confirmed that around the end of March we will have artificial intelligence of S23, in S23FE, in our foldables, both in Z Flip5 and in the Z Fold5, and also in our Tab S9. I believe that the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S24 has made something clear, it is that the Samsung’s commitment to artificial intelligence is powerful and it is solid. For now we do not have more information regarding how the next launches will go, but well everything seems to indicate that intelligence, without a doubt, is going to be one of our big bets this year, and that will probably be present in everything that is to come or be updated. All the devices that people may have so far, and who logically want to try the innovation of artificial intelligence.
The communication challenge of transmitting everything that AI can provide from a mobile phone is great, how does a communication team address that? What is the most important message you want to convey regarding AI?
It is true that the challenge is important, but at the same time it is very beautiful. When I saw the event we held at CES this year in Las Vegas, I was very happy because in the end what it confirmed to us is that there is going to be a unanimous, solid and absolute commitment to artificial intelligence, not only in the mobility part, but in all the company’s business areas, and we will see it throughout the year. I think there is nothing better for a communication person, and also in the field of marketing of course, than having a solid and consistent message at all times.
A unanimous, solid and absolute commitment to Artificial Intelligence
So I think that this very important commitment, for something that is also artificial intelligence, which is a trend at the moment and that is on everyone’s lips, because logically it makes our work easier. For the launch of S24, we make lots of market research both at the marketing level, and as you know we also logically try to do it at the communication level, especially seeing where it is going in this case. What opinion did the Spanish have regarding artificial intelligence?. Also to what extent were, or are, the Spanish company prepared for artificialwhat reception I was going to give him, what sensations there were, and above all, what fears, what barriers might arise in the face of that?.
At the end of December we did a very interesting study, which in fact we also shared almost in its entirety with the media, to give some clues, why? Because We found that 54% of Spaniards were eager to try these new artificial intelligence functionswith messages that are so interesting for us when creating a communication structure or a communication plan, that people also believes that big brands like Samsung are also in some way obligatedor we are, in the need for us to be also educators and that we help people really understand what artificial intelligence is forhow it can help them on a daily basis, etc.
So that study already gave us many guidelines, as I mentioned before, having a new product, so disruptive, so differential, so innovativeof course it helps a lot to any communication action and then, as always, we try to be a little innovative, do it in a different way, especially do it in a experiential way for journalists and the people we work with, so that we truly understand that the functions in this case of the S24 are not only for professionalsor only for people who understand or have a high level of knowledge, and interest in technology, but they are functions that anyone can use and that can make something like a trip abroad much easier, thanks to translation simultaneous language, are functions that are really there to help and make people’s lives easier.
Looking at the most mainstream user, what do you perceive is furthest from what is simple for them?
Note that I believe that in general what we saw in the study, and what we are also perceiving through other marketing studies, is that there is a general ignorance of what artificial intelligence is and above all I think that as far as it can go and I think there is many fears regarding, above all, and this was also confirmed by the study, regarding privacy and security. We are betting on a very specific AI, that is, Samsung has been researching and investing in R&D for more than 10 years to develop everything that is now being seen in the market and everything that we are going to launch this year, all that knowledge and What all this investment has made us understand is that seeing the moment that is being experienced worldwide, the circumstances that exist for all purposes, which logically affect companies, what we are betting on is an AI that is open, because as you have also seen here at Mobile World Congress, we collaborate with different partnerslogically the most cutting-edge in each section, like us, leading people who are really betting on this technology and who knows it well in the different segments, we are also committed to accessible AI, that is, we understand that it has to be a technology that has to help everyone in their daily lives, and also those people who may have greater difficulties to access and use technology and there we always try to lend a hand, and see how to help them overcome that barrier.
“General ignorance of what Artificial Intelligence is
Also of course it is sustainable, which is something that I think is very evident in the entire strategy and we have also been talking regarding this for many years, it is very present in our S24 and many other initiatives that we have in the different business areas of the company, and of course, and above all that Be safe, we have seen that fearbut it is also a territory where we have been betting on our Knox platform for many years, as you know. I think that there we have a lot of credibility, many projects and many recognitions that guarantee that the trust that the consumer can have in Samsung when it comes to the treatment they are given. gives your information, your data.
What we are transmitting is in general all these features, we believe that artificial intelligence or Samsung’s vision of Artificial Intelligence has all those components and that overall added value that we offer to any consumer who uses S24 and that in the future he will enter the brand, that he buy a Samsung appliance, of which we already have many with a lot of artificial intelligence in fact for more than 2 years and that provide great energy efficiency, in addition to many other benefits, or we will see soon also in televisions and other household products.
Surely more brands are going to join the AI wave, apart from the fact that Samsung has been one of the first to bet well, what does it want to do or what are it going to do now to continue to differentiate itself from the others?
Well, what I told you before, I think it is that this year there will be many surpriseswe have really started very strong, at CES I think there was an unprecedented presentation, very powerful, I think we made a very clear statement of intent around the world of artificial difference.
I certainly believe that the S24 has been an absolutely differential productI have been in the company for 11 years, it has been one of the most interesting and powerful launches we have had, but there is much left to see, so I sincerely believe that we are going to have many assetsas we say, many launches and small communications that are going to truly make the global, the global photo that we have at the end of this year, regarding all the things that have managed to make or present Samsung in AI are going to be powerful enough per seand of course for us as a communication team, I think it will be a very nice job to develop this entire year.
In your opinion what are the most useful features of Galaxy AI or what are the things in your daily life?
I would tell you in general, I think that the good thing regarding S24 is that artificial intelligence is integrated in such a way that it is really simple for the userand I think that even there are very specific functions, which is what we mentioned before, they are not only designed for professional use, but they can help people in their daily lives.
Personally, I use transcription a lot, because obviously in the territory and in the environment that we move in, with a lot of meeting is very usefuland then I have a small child, 7 years old, and the function of Circle to Searchhas become one of our favoritesfor him who sees something that interests him he tells me: “Mom, use your cell phone, let’s go look to see what doll this is.”. But also for me, I really like the world of lifestyle, interior design, it is true that many times when you are checking social networks, Instagram, which I particularly like for those topics, sometimes there are objects or things that are not there. tagged y I would love to know where the shirt is from, or where this lamp is from, in that sense I am getting a lot of use out of it. I would tell you that they are the ones that I am using the most, honestly.
Thank you very much, Laura
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