Updated to include comment from Samsung.
That didn't take long. A day after Apple unmasked its new products -- two iPhones with larger screens and the Apple Watch -- Samsung released a series of spots mocking its rival.
Six videos uploaded to the Samsung Mobile YouTube channel on Wednesday night star two men meant to represent Apple's Genius Bar employees. The series, called "It Doesn't Take a Genius," attacks Apple's new smartphones, its wearable device and even its Tuesday event live-stream (which functioned poorly), all without mentioning Apple by name.
"The social videos were produced in Korea and are not part of the U.S. marketing campaign," said a Samsung spokeswoman.
The two tech giants have been locked in a lengthy legal battle over the innovation in their smartphones. In the most recent court case, Samsung U.S. Mobile CMO Todd Pendleton claimed that the company's advertising allowed it to topple Apple as the largest smartphone-maker worldwide.
Samsung's new spots are for the Galaxy Note 4, its latest large-screen "phablet." Unsurprisingly, they dwell on size.
The two latest iPhones -- iPhones 6 and iPhone 6 Plus -- are both larger than earlier four-inch iPhones, which Apple devoutly defended for years. In videos promoting the new iPhone, Apple led with the tagline "Bigger than Bigger." For years, Samsung has targeted Apple in its ads. And as the Korean company produced ever-larger devices, it went after Apple's size. In July, Samsung released "Screen Envy," a spot belittling the iPhone.
Samsung also goes after the Apple Watch in the new slate of videos. "My watch can do things," one of the faux Apple employees says. The video jointly promotes the Galaxy Note and Gear S, Samsung's latest smartwatch, which makes voice calls. Samsung has released four smartwatches and two fitness-trackers since last September.
Samsung is expected to release new spots for national TV responding to Apple by early next week. Samsung did not disclose whether it worked with an agency on the videos but its global shops are Leo Burnett Worldwide, Chicago, and Cheil Worldwide, Seoul.
