Samsung's futuristic blockbuster touts its gaming cred

The brand is targeting mobile gamers with spot for Exynos 2200 processor directed by Matthijs Van Heijningen

Published On
Jan 18, 2022

Editor's Pick

Samsung is aiming to grab the attention of hardcore gamers with a cinematic, action-packed spot promoting its new mobile processor, the Exynos 2200, which it's promising will revolutionize mobile games.

Agency BBH London was briefed to drive anticipation and excitement ahead of the launch of the first phones containing the processor, which features a mobile graphics processing unit developed by Samsung in partnership with AMD.

BBH brought on board top director Matthijs Van Heijningen of MJZ (who also helmed Samsung's The Ostrich VR spot in 2017) to helm the ad, which begins with a female protagonist trying to make her way through a marketplace full of street vendors trying to sell her heavily-pixelated 8-bit computing-style swords and watermelons. 

In a nod to "Alice in Wonderland," a menacing rabbit lures her down an alleyway to an underground black market populated by (somewhat "Star Wars"-like) shady characters and vendors trading guns and weapons, all in full HD quality. The action ends with the tagline: "Playtime is over" and a reminder that there are "console quality graphics now on mobile."

The spot too has the look and feel of a console ad, thanks to some well-crafted CGI courtesy of Paris-based digital effects specialist Mikros, with which Van Heijningen worked closely on when directing Netflix's "The Forgotten Battle." The live-action was filmed in Kiev. 

The spot will run across YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit and TikTok supported by cross-platform executions sharing the "Playtime is over" theme, executed by Cheil Pengtai.

“We wanted to implicitly express how the Exynos 2200 processor will bring differentiated gaming experience on mobile, in a short condensed fashion," said Changwan Kim, brand manager at Samsung Electronics, in a statement. "We are very excited to see BBH’s creativity come to life in this adventurous hero film, and believe this project may be a big milestone that changes the course of how we promote semiconductor products in the future.” 

“This was a dream brief from our partners at Samsung," added Stu Royall, creative director at BBH. "To launch a new processing unit targeted at hardcore gamers is an incredible opportunity. Together, we’ve constructed an incredible, alternate universe full of rich detail, dangerous characters and even more dangerous weapons. There’s even a few additional details hidden in there to reward the most eagle-eyed gamers.”

Credits

Date
Jan 18, 2022
Client :
Samsung
Agency :
BBH-London
Global Chief Marketing Officer :
Adam Arnold
Executive Creative Director :
Helen Rhodes
Creative Director :
Philip Holbrook
Creative Director :
Stuart Royall
Art Director :
Wil Maxey
Copywriter :
Elliott White
Producer :
Joe Pawsey
Senior Account Director :
Sam Hardy
Account Director :
Agata Krupa
Account Manager :
Alexander Boden
Strategy Director :
Aparna Bangur
Chief Strategy Officer :
Will Lion
Production Company :
MJZ
Director :
Matthijs Van Heijningen
Producer :
Donald Taylor
Editor :
Rich Orrick
Editor :
Work Editorial
Post-production house :
Mikros
Sound House :
Sam Ashwell
Sound House :
750mph
Composition :
Goldstein Music Ltd

Need a credit fix? Contact the Creativity Editors

Project Type