See what lifesavers see with Pocket Patrol
Samsung
Issue 43 | June 2017
Agency
Leo Burnett Sydney
Creative Team
Executive Creative Directors Grant McAloon, Vince Lagana Creative Group Head Writer Iggy Rodriguez Creative Group Head Art Director Justin Carew
Production Team
Executive Producer Digital Laurent Marcus Senior Integrated Producer Julie Bourges Integrated Producer Francesco Piazzoni Digital Designer Sebastien Jacques Lead Developer Keong Seet Head of Print Adrian Jung Finished Artist Nancy Yonathan Senior Broadcast Producer Rachel Devine App Production Company Ustwo Film Production Company Rapid Films VR Tech Bek Hawkey Content Editor Paula Grusovin
Other Credits
Samsung Head of Digital Brett Turnbull Samsung VP Marketing Philip Newton Head of Corporate & Public Affairs Shaneez Johnston VP Brand Strategy (GMC) Song Ha Ji Brand Strategy Group (GMC) Byounghye Bonnie Nah Marketing Manager (GMC) Jh Greg Kim Client Services Director Amanda Quested Group Head Rebecca Morton Business Director Brendan Swansborough/ Natasha Floyer Planning Director Graham Alvarez PR Agency Edelman PR Senior Account Manager Carla Dovgan Account Executive Erin Price Media Agency Starcom Digital Media Manager Scott Glitz Strategist Elaine Quirke
Date
October 2016
Background
Statistics showed that 70% of Australians could not identify one of the biggest hidden dangers when they were on the beach. Rip tides.
As a result, there were some 11,000 rescues and 21 deaths each year.
The common myth was that it was only tourists who could not swim that got caught in rips. In fact, the group most at risk was over-confident males aged 25-50.
Idea
Samsung Pocket Patrol was an innovation designed to help beachgoers see the hidden dangers that lifesavers saw. It used mobile technology that everybody already took to the beach and turned it into a life-saving tool.
A unique AR algorithm was developed, assimilating real-time data of rip currents, stingers, shallow sandbanks, sudden drop offs and submerged rocks. The app placed virtual markers in true 3D space with pinpoint accuracy.
This data was instantly communicated to every smartphone on the beach, empowering beach goers to identify dangers for themselves and avoid them.
Lifeguards were trained to use Pocket Patrol as part of their daily routine and how to teach the public to download and use it themselves.
Live events on beaches around the country promoted the app as well as a 360 VR experience that showed what it was like to drown in a rip.
An online film demonstrated just how quickly anyone could get dragged out to sea in a rip by running for the same length of time it took for a swimmer to be pulled into deep water.
Results
Pocket Patrol was so well received by lifesavers that it's now part of the official kit for the SLSA national education program.
3,600 people downloaded Pocket Patrol and identified beach dangers during the launch month.
A further 13.2 million beachgoers learned about beach safety through live events, social media, the VR 360 film and online film.
The story was covered by 144 tech websites, family blogs, as well as local and international news, reaching a total audience of 20 million.
Data and metrics in the post-campaign analysis returned an 81.5% increase in positive sentiment for Samsung and brand engagement results are 15% above the norm.
Our Thoughts
Samsung is developing a remarkable brand personality in Australia, where, with Leo Burnett Sydney, they have run a number of programmes in which cutting edge tech has been put to good use. ('Brainband' was featured in Directory 39.)
Someone somewhere will have worked out what this has meant in terms of brand preference scores and sales and my bet is that both graphs will be pointing north.
The implicit communication here is that Samsung aren't just at the sharp edge of tech but they 'get' Australia.
At a time when others are still working out how to use AI, AR and VR, here's a single campaign that uses all three. AI in the algorithm that absorbs and transmits the data about the tides and jellyfish etc; AR in the app itself, which places virtual markers on the actual beach you can see through your phone, and, lastly, VR to advertise it.