Tom HallAs Access All Areas prepares to launch its ‘events in space’ themed November issue, Samsung has launched a ‘space selfie’ activation, in partnership with companies including technology and events firm Unit9 and creative agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty London that includes two of its Galaxy 10 smartphones being launched into the edge of the world’s atmosphere.
Samsung’s brand campaign invites people to create their own ‘space selfie’ after launching two of its Galaxy 10 smartphones into the edge of the world’s atmosphere.
The phones will receive selfies from people transmitted from Earth and layer them over real-time shots of the planet, creating a bespoke and limited-edition “space selfie”.
The logistics behind the campaign involve a super-pressure High Altitude Balloon half the size of a basketball court, containing a specially designed ‘rig’, taking a Samsung Galaxy S10 5G up to 64,900 ft. into the stratosphere, where it will receive selfies transmitted from earth and layer them over real-time shots of the planet. The result is a bespoke and limited-edition SpaceSelfie designed for Instagram fans.
To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the moon landing (and the 10th anniversary of the Galaxy), Samsung launched the social media and digital campaign to ‘show its commitment to innovation’.
Model and actress Cara Delevingne will be the first person to have her photograph in space using one of two Galaxy phones that will float above the Earth in a giant helium balloon. Football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic will follow as the first athlete to have a ‘space selfie’, and Samsung anticipates other requests from luminaries to be the ‘first’ in their field to have the special photograph taken.
After registering on Samsung’s website and uploading their photograph, a “selfie” can be taken every three seconds from when the service launches after 23 October and until 31 October.
The ‘payload’ has been designed to ensure the best quality photos are captured by factoring in the earth’s curvature and reflective light from the sun, whose solar energy powers both the ‘payload’ and the S10 5G itself. Back on earth, consumers are in with a chance to receive a photo of their face in space by taking a selfie using their smartphone and uploading it to the Mission Control website.
Two bespoke apps were developed to facilitate SpaceSelfie. The first is a ground control app created to send and receive selfies between Mission Control and the payload.
The second is an app specifically designed for the S10 5G, which communicates with the still camera on the rig, commanding it to take the photo of a selfie displayed on the device’s screen. The S10 app then tells the ground app to send the image back to earth and from there it is delivered direct to the consumer.
The campaign, created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty London, is the first to be commissioned by Samsung’s chief marketing officer for Europe, Benjamin Braun, since he joined the company from Audi earlier this year. BBH has been working closely with the Samsung team to lead strategy, creative development and execution, alongside production partners UNIT9 and FlightLine Films.
FleishmanHillard Fishburn has driven ‘earned media’ and ‘influencer activation’, Publicis Sport & Entertainment lead on talent negotiations with Starcom supporting the campaign through paid media amplification.
UNIT9’s Tech Lead – Ground Control Team, Andrew Oaten, said: “No phone is designed to work in space where temperatures are at freezing levels, let alone with no atmosphere and pressure. But Samsung’s S10+ 5G can survive the extreme conditions and return to Earth in a completely usable condition. The project has involved so much intense R&D that we’re beginning to get a sense of how hard the moon landing teams had to work.”
Benjamin Braun, chief marketing officer at Samsung Europe, said: “Amazing things happen on Samsung screens and #SpaceSelfie is the perfect campaign to prove it. We are giving people the chance to have their face in space.”
Will Lion, managing partner, strategy at BBH London, said: “Phone advertising has become quite samey, all gleaming devices at beautiful angles with trendy photos. We wanted a break in series; something that would demonstrate how amazing Samsung’s phones are by helping people take the most epic photo of their life – from space – and maybe just break the internet and power up sales ahead of Christmas.”
Braun concludes: “SpaceSelfie has been an ‘out of this world’ project that will culminate in a Samsung 5G phone hovering at the edge of the world’s atmosphere. We wanted to bring consumers on our journey beyond the norm – to make them a part of our innovation story in a really fun and light-hearted way. We have brought the world a series of technological firsts in our products, and in #SpaceSelfie we’re bringing that pioneering spirit across in our marketing.”
Anyone can submit their selfie via Mission Control, which is now up and running. To get your face in space, go to www.samsung.com/spaceselfie and upload your photo.
For more on this, and exclusive interviews with Virgin Galactic and other event experts talking ‘events in space’, check out Access‘ November issue when it is released on 25 October.