Samsung apologises for 'tone deaf' ad showing woman running alone at 2am

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Samsung has apologised for an ad it released earlier last month for its Night Owl campaign. The ad, which aimed to celebrate individuality and freedom to exercise at all hours, featured a woman going out for a run alone in a city at 2am while wearing her headphones. The video also shows the woman running through dark streets and alleyways, and even running past a man on a bike on a deserted bridge at one point.

According to the BBC, the ad has since been criticised by some women's running groups and safety campaigners, as well as women's safety group Reclaim These Streets, for being unrealistic and tone-deaf. Samsung said it was never its intention to be insensitive to ongoing conversations around women's safety, BBC reported. A quick search by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE revealed that the video has been taken down from all of Samsung's online channels.

Samsung's ad came shortly after the death of Ashling Murphy, a young woman who was attacked while out running along a canal near Tullamore in Dublin, Ireland earlier this January. The incident also sparked the hashtag #shewasonarun, where users shared posts and stories about women being harassed while out running.

Netizens have also called out the ad for its lack of awareness of women's safety. One user tweeted that the ad was unrealistic and laughable. Meanwhile, another user questioned if Samsung received any female perspective when producing the ad, adding that "the only women involved in the making was the actress". MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Samsung for comment.

https://twitter.com/hansmollman/status/1517980430083014657

https://twitter.com/InCockKneeToe/status/1517043472578060288

Separately, Samsung also caused some chatter in Singapore late last year when its ad about wearable products was deemed by some members of the local community in Singapore to be insensitive and offensive. The brand pulled the ad and in its apology, explained that while it believes innovation and growth are driven by diversity and inclusivity, it will be more mindful in considering all perspectives and viewpoints for future marketing. While the brand did not specify the name of the campaign, online chatter indicated that netizens were discussing Samsung's "Samsung Listen to your Heart" campaign, which took an emotional approach to showcase its latest Samsung Galaxy Buds2 and Watch4.

Samsung worked with individuals from different walks of life to test the Galaxy Buds2 and Watch4 Classic and recorded their heart rates as they listened to various genres of music. In a surprise twist, Samsung embedded a voice-recorded message from someone close to the individuals, who wanted to express something personal to them for a long time.

Among the individuals featured were a drag queen who expressed appreciation for his tudung-wearing but totally supportive mother; a pair of best friends whose friendship showcased loyalty; an absentee father who spent years in jail but turned over a new leaf thanks to his daughter; and a man paying tribute to his fiancée’s courage in battling depression while taking care of her ailing mother. The company said in a Facebook post: "We acknowledge that we have fallen short in this instance, and have since removed the content from all public platforms."

At the same time, the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) recently took down its Hari Raya video following online backlash that the video stereotypes the Malay community. According to multiple sources, such as CNA and The Straits Times (ST), MCI took down the video to avoid controversy and argument during the festive period. Sources also reported MCI saying that while most Malay and Muslim viewers, including many who viewed the video prior to its release, perceived it as heartwarming, some expressed reservations.

According to CNA, the online backlash received by the Hari Raya video included viewers who said that the video suggests Malay families can only celebrate Hari Raya when they have achieved socio-economic stability through attaining home ownership or when both parents are working. ST also reported that some netizens compared the Hari Raya video with Gov.sg's Lunar New Year video earlier this year, which took on a light-hearted and optimistic take on celebrating amidst the COVID-19 restrictions.

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