Samsung to Overhaul Marketing Strategy for Tokyo Olympics

Samsung Electronics Co.’s new flagship store, Galaxy Harajuku, opens in Japan on March 12, 2019. (image: Samsung Electronics)

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics Co., an official sponsor for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has decided to overhaul its marketing strategy for the upcoming Olympic Games amid a prolonged dispute between South Korea and Japan.

Samsung reportedly plans to remove the company name from all advertisements for the Olympics, and replace it with product branding instead.

Samsung has been unable to reap substantial benefit from sponsoring the Olympics ever since Japan’s export restrictions against South Korea left the two countries in a standoff.

While sponsorship of the Tokyo Olympic Games may hurt the company’s reputation, Samsung is currently left without any other alternative.

In July, Samsung, along with Japanese mobile carrier NTT Docomo Inc., introduced the Galaxy S10 Plus Tokyo Olympic Edition. The company, however, refrained from actively promoting the product.

Samsung began working with a global marketing firm to analyze the impact of being an official sponsor for the upcoming Olympic Games, during which the company decided that advancing the ‘Galaxy’ brand, rather than the name of the company, may be more effective in promoting Samsung smartphones in the Japanese market.

The Japanese government vowed to make a strong appeal as a leader in 5G technology through the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Samsung plans to focus on promoting the ‘Galaxy’ brand to achieve a two-digit market share while minimizing the risk posed by the Korea-Japan dispute.

H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)