Samsung readying 5G PR blitz in Canada: internal comms

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is embarking this year on a massive information and marketing campaign to promote its leadership on, and rollout of, 5G in Canada, according to a high level presentation seen by The Wire Report on Wednesday. A powerpoint slide with a stated objective to build “awareness and position Samsung as a 5G thought leader in Canada” is stamped as a “work in progress” and is part of the South Korean company’s 5G communications plan and roadmap in Canada. The strategies in the slide include leveraging analysts “to tell and validate Samsung 5G experience benefits,” educating media and popular internet figures on the company’s 5G leadership and “rollout efforts in Canada,” and creating a “rolling thunder of news and thought leadership moments,” which includes industry and consumer events, newsroom content, executive interviews, and speaking opportunities. The slides are part of a larger deck to be presented on Friday, according to a Wednesday email to Samsung colleagues seen by The Wire Report on the same day. On Tuesday, this publication reached out to several of Samsung’s media channels to get comment on a story about the company’s preparations to lobby the federal government on 5G. The story reported that the Seoul-based company updated its lobby registration to include, “thought leadership on policies and regulations to help drive rapid development of 5G in Canada.” Samsung did not return a comment for Tuesday’s story. In one of the emails sent to company employees on Wednesday, an Ottawa lobbyist for the company said a suggested response to the 5G question could reflect Samsung’s products “accelerating the wide scale adoption of 5G,” as the company noted in a previous press release. The email said that the lobby registration reflects “how 5G is being commercially deployed in the country and around the world.” A spokesperson for Samsung said in the same email chain that the team needs a “tighter, well coordinated plan” on the company’s 5G plans, pointing to “complexities” and question marks about readiness to discuss and what they can share. The slides are considered “high level” recommendations, with the plan slated to be built over the “next couple weeks,” the spokesperson added. The educational component of the timeline is expected to run from February to May, which includes familiarization tours, interviews and briefings. From June to the end of the year, it will launch the “rolling thunder” phase of the plan, using analysts, influencers and “Youtubers” for dissemination and engaging in thought leadership through industry events, news, and executive interviews. These developments come after the company’s latest quarterly report outlined a strategy for this year that includes continued momentum supplying 5G equipment to Korean and U.S. clients, which improved its earnings figures, commercializing 5G modem chips, boosting technological leadership by launching 5G devices, and “lead the global 5G market and solidify foundation for growth via supply expansion in the initial markets of Korea and the US.” The slides were revealed on the same day the company unveiled its first 5G phone, the S10, at the Unpacked showcase in San Francisco, California. Samsung has partnered with Verizon Communications Inc. in the U.S. to test its 5G network equipment and handsets and has strong 5G roots in parts of its home country. It has also been partnering with European telecoms on 5G tests and announced a rollout of its 5G device this summer on that continent by teaming up with eight providers there. The news also coincides with a Reuters report last week, citing sources, that revealed Samsung has been shifting resources to its network equipment business from its handset unit as a possibly opportunistic maneuver to potentially fill in the vacuum left by a ban on Chinese network equipment supplier Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. On Thursday, U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo said his country won’t partner or share information with countries that use Huawei technologies, according to Reuters. Currently, the Canadian government is conducting security reviews of 5G technology and Huawei, and is still many weeks away from making a decision. BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. both use Huawei technology in their networks, but they said recently they have yet to select a vendor for the next generation 5G network. Analysts previously noted that the likelihood of a Huawei ban has increased in recent months. Yet on Thursday, Huawei stood firm on its commitment to Canada by announcing increased investments in the country. The Shenzhen-based company has spent a long time building its brand presence in Canada, partnering with academic institutions, tech hubs and sponsoring Hockey Night in Canada. A Huawei exit from the 5G market would mean the loss of a reportedly less expensive competitor to Sweden’s Ericsson AB and Finland’s Nokia Corp., the two other major 5G equipment suppliers who are partnering with Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc., respectively, for their 5G apparatus. Quebecor Inc.'s Videotron partnered with Ericsson, as well. Telus noted in its last earnings report that taking out a supplier would mean a permanent increase in equipment costs. Those concerns could be allayed if Samsung steps in to restore equilibrium. Samsung also wants to “dominate headlines” and the conversation by positioning itself as a leader in the mobile industry, according to a second presentation slide. The strategies for that similarly include engaging media and social media “influencers,” which continues a company practice of using internet stars in commercials to boost its brand. — With reporting by Ahmad Hathout at ahathout@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Samsung readying 5G PR blitz in Canada: internal comms

News | February 21, 2019

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Samsung readying 5G PR blitz in Canada: internal comms

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