Samsung's largest-ever campaign to boost Galaxy ecosystem among Indian students: What was their Secret Sauce to connect with the youth?

Samsung's 2024 Back to Campus campaign, dubbed the largest ever in the brand’s history, was a strategic effort to capture the attention of India's vast student population during the critical back-to-school (BTS) season. The campaign kick-started in May and has been designed to drive adoption of Samsung’s Galaxy Ecosystem among students—the brand targeted on an estimated 100 million+ potential customers.

Campaign objectives and strategy

The primary goal of Samsung's campaign was to solidify the adoption of the Galaxy Ecosystem—comprising smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wearables—among Indian students. This segment included secondary school students, higher secondary students, and college students, who collectively represented a significant market opportunity.

India, home to the world’s largest student base of over 300 million+, provided a fertile ground for this initiative. Among these, the 100 million+ students in secondary, higher secondary, and college levels were the key targets for Samsung's Back to Campus campaign. The timing was crucial, as the May-August period is the peak-buying season for educational tools and devices.

Why this campaign?

Samsung recognised the evolving needs of Gen Z, particularly their inclination towards honing new skills and exploring entrepreneurship. According to market insights, 43% of Gen Z students expressed a desire to develop new skills, with many looking at non-traditional career paths. This insight formed the backbone of the campaign’s messaging, which encouraged students to Show Them How It’s Done, positioning Samsung’s technology as the ideal companion in their journey of self-discovery and achievement.

The campaign’s articulation

The campaign was meticulously crafted to resonate with the aspirations of young and evolving Indian students. The central narrative was built around stories of three students—a podcaster, a DJ, and a designer—who challenged traditional norms using Samsung’s Galaxy devices to pursue their passions. The message was clear: Samsung's AI-driven Galaxy Ecosystem was not just about devices, but about empowering young students to achieve their dreams.

The films cover the journeys of a music producer, podcaster and a fashion designer & their unwavering spirit in the pursuit of their dreams and how the Galaxy ecosystem is the perfect companion in the pursuit of their dreams. 

EP:1| Music Producer 

EP:2| Podcaster 

EP:3| Fashion Designer 

Execution: A multi-channel approach

The Back to Campus campaign was a 360-degree marketing effort, encompassing digital, print, retail, and on-ground activations. Samsung employed a multi-channel strategy to ensure maximum reach and impact. 

1. Digital and social media 

The campaign so far has generated 2 billion digital impressions and 370 million+ video views. Engagement on social media platforms was notably strong, with 199 million social interactions. To further amplify the campaign's reach, Samsung collaborated with top tech bloggers and influencers as well as media publishers in the country to create surround and triggered positive buzz.

2. Retail and print media 

Retail and print media also played a crucial role in the campaign's visibility. Samsung leveraged 6000+ retail touchpoints to communicate it’s product benefits and student friendly offers. Print advertisements were strategically placed in 10 major cities, covering both national and regional newspapers to ensure widespread reach.

3. On-ground activations 

Samsung is also a conducting a series of design thinking workshop in 12 cities in over 100 schools and colleges. Students are encouraged to come up with innovative solutions to real-world problems using Samsung devices during the course of these workshops. 

Performance metrics & growth metrics 

The campaign had a significant impact on product visibility and sales. 

The campaign saw a 2.3x increase in search results for their student centric categories of laptops and tablets, a 3.4x boost in visits which resulted in a sales growth of 1.3x.

Conclusion: A successful full-funnel campaign

Samsung’s Back to Campus campaign is not just a marketing success but also a case study in effective full-funnel marketing. By strategically targeting a key demographic during a critical buying season, Samsung was able to draw attention to the adoption of its Galaxy Ecosystem among students. The campaign’s success is evident in the impressive metrics across search, traffic, sales, and engagement, making it a benchmark for future BTS campaigns.

Samsung's approach—combining a powerful narrative with a multi-channel strategy—ensured that the campaign resonated deeply with its target audience. By encouraging students to Show Them How It’s Done, Samsung positioned itself as a brand that empowers the next generation to achieve their dreams, cementing its place as a leader in the competitive Indian tech market.