April 26, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics India’s new commercial has amassed more than 85 million views on YouTube as of Feb. 9, a record for an ad campaign aired in India.

The ad, produced by Samsung Group’s ad-making unit Cheil Worldwide, was posted on Dec. 30 to introduce the Korean tech giant’s new customer service traveling to far-flung parts of the country with 535 vans. 

See the video:
"We will take care of you wherever you are"


The four-minute ad, with the tagline “We will take care of you wherever you are,” starts with a customer in the Himalayas calling for help with her TV. Then, a Samsung engineer travels in a van to reach her, encountering obstacles like a fallen tree blocking his route and sheep on the road.

The ad takes some unexpected turns when the engineer arrives. He finds the customer is blind and runs a daycare center for blind children. They were waiting for a TV show, a singing contest where one of the children participates.

“A compelling story, well organized with beautiful images and music, seems to be appealing to Indians who love films,” said a Cheil official. “We have combined diverse values they care for, like overcoming difficulties, humanity and happy ending.”

Cheil predicts the ad could get 100 million views within the month considering it has logged more than 1 million views every day. On YouTube, a few videos -- three or four annually -- hit the 100 million mark.

Last year, Cheil’s ad for Samsung’s Smart Class campaign that supports education for underprivileged children in India gained more than 35 million views on YouTube, then the highest-ever figure for a commercial in the country.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)