Samsung has been promoting the launch heavily, spending three times what they have on marketing in the past. This summer, they ran an international ad featuring a hummingbird, lit by glowing diodes, flying from flower to flower. The zoom out revealed the shimmering LEDs. A recent Sears ad played off quarterback Brett Favre’s infamous indecisiveness (the quarterback has retired and un-retired twice, with both decisions a lengthy saga in the press). As the store closes for the evening, Favre feigns agony while deciding which Samsung LED to buy.
Samsung is also behind a hugely successful and exceptionally creative viral campaign known as ‘extreme sheep LED art.’ They contracted with a British TV studio to make a short film involving live sheep decorated with LED lights that are herded along a hillside to create different images. One version on YouTube has almost 10,000,000 views.
Marketing aside, the big question is: what’s all the hype about? Well, LEDs (or light emitting diodes), as opposed to commonly used CCFLs (cold cathode fluorescent lamps), produce ultra-high contrast ratios (5,000,000 to 1 ratio in the best model). They also generate colored light without the use of filters for advanced color processing and brighter, truer shades, while allowing for slimmer designs. Finally, LEDs contain no mercury and create more light per watt, so they’re not only cooler, they’re greener – to the tune of 40% less power than conventional LCDs.
Extra goodies include a slim 1.2-inch design that hangs like a picture frame (with a special mounting rack), USB 2.0 and HDMI ports and wireless capability that allows users to watch content from their PC with no cables (higher end models). Pre-loaded content includes picture galleries, games, recipes – even yoga classes. Plus, Samsung is teaming with Blockbuster to allow owners access to Blockbuster’s library of digital entertainment from their living room sofa.
It’s hard to refute that Samsung is defining the leading edge with the slim design and features of the LEDs. The question for consumers is whether the extra features and picture quality are worth the price, which contrasts with LCDs by as much as $1,000. Choreographed sheep art, slim design and crazy-good picture quality are enough to stoke excitement – but are they enough to put you out an extra $1,000? Let us know what you think.
