In April 2022, Samsung launched the Portable SSD T7 Shield, equipped with waterproof, dustproof, and shock prevention functions. Three campaign films emphasizing each function were aired on a large scale. The films spurred an unexpected response about the product design that it resembled a bar of soap, rather than speaking about the product functions.

In the YouTube Comment section, comments like "Nice Soap" began to appear. Social memes that the product resembled India's laundry soap "Lin" were created, showing signs of negative public opinion about our new product. Our messaging about the functionality wasn't delivered to the consumers at all.

Instead of removing the films to prevent negative opinion about the new products, we decided to wittily embrace the consumers' comments. It was important to interact with our consumers comments, drive a positive impact and turn the negatives into a positive, by communicating more with consumers and respond quickly.

The core of our creative idea was to emphasize the comments around SOAP and bring them to life. If our audience thinks the product resembles soap, we thought the right way to communicate with our consumers was to embrace the fact rather than denying.

Samsung Electronics fabricated a soap that looked like the product to feature in the film and delivered the message that the only difference between our product and soap was that it is waterproof.

We mixed traditional product shots with unexpected shots of the fabricated soap in a shower.

People began to respond very positively to Samsung's witty attempts by comments like "Now I have to take an SSD when I go to the shower" and "I also want Samsung soap." Through this, secondary viral effects began to occur, with Samsung soap being introduced not only on YouTube but also on various channels.

The main targets of Portable SSDs are creators who work a lot on video and image production. They create social content and have influence across multiple social platforms. Creators started the public opinion that the product resembled Soap and we needed a strategy to appeal to the creators.

We decided to work with creators themselves and produce something that would appeal to our audience. With the intriguing approach that an electronics company makes soap, we designed a campaign that appeals to our audience in a way they would respond to.

As a result, they loved the ‘SOAP’ made by an electronics company and highly appreciated the bold brand attitude, which respond confidently without avoiding negative public opinion.

Samsung Electronics communicated very quickly and casually to suit the characteristics of Gen Zs to actively appeal to their opinions, which led to the success of the content.

Since the product is an IP65 certified waterproof product after numerous tests, there was no problem with the product power. But as shown in the video, we conducted a file transmission experiment after setting a shower room and pouring rain showers continuously to the product. As a result, even after taking a lot of showers, the product worked without any problems and we were confident that even if SSDs were really placed in the bathroom, they would not interfere with durability at all.

The viral content had to be responded very quickly before consumer public opinion subsided, so the whole production and air of the video was completed in a month after clients’ request. We also actively communicated by using the comments left by consumers themselves in the video.

After releasing the film, sales increased 72 percent compared to the previous quarter. The film reached 1,382,606 views and 20,353 likes on Samsung's global YouTube account. There were 1059 comments which 90% were all positive. It was introduced to various global media and was introduced to the channel of Korea's famous YouTuber (400,000 subscribers) creating secondary viral buzz.

Most important of all, the social outcome was explosive for a single SSD product, considering that consumers are relatively uninterested to SSDs compared to products such as mobile phones and PCs. The perception that SSD = Solid State Drive has now changed to SSD = Samsung Soap Drive, and this had led to the category preoccupation effect of Samsung representing SSD category. Consumers created Samsung soap into social memes and enjoyed it like a game, which led to a favorable impression of products and brands.