This Samsung ad, which debuted over the weekend, teases the October release of its Galaxy Note 4—and also, more mercilessly, teases Apple for being late to the phablet game at its iPhone 6 event last week.
Called "Then and Now," the minute-long clip reminds viewers that Samsung was the first company to popularize larger-size handsets. To make its point, it presents snippets of dismissive reviews that followed the Galaxy Note's introduction nearly three years ago.
Being first is all well and good, and perhaps the spot amuses/energizes die-hard Samsung geeks. Still, I doubt its gloating vibe resonates with a broader audience. Coming after last week's "It Doesn't Take a Genius" spots (ribbing Apple about its smartwatch and even the ragged quality of its live-event streaming), this spot feels like overkill.
Such crowing makes Samsung look, well, small. And kind of silly, given that the iPhone 6 Plus sold out on the first day Apple started taking orders.
Don't expect a counterpunch, though. Apple, of course, is bigger than that.