Samsung’s Anti-Apple Fanboy Ads Helped It Create More Buzz Than The iPhone

Samsung's new ads for the Galaxy S II, which ridicule Apple fans, have helped the Korean company rise past the iPhone in terms of consumer perception according to a study by research firm YouGov.

The report says:

Samsung has just edged past the iPhone in consumer perception in the US (adults 18+), likely powered by their new set of ads bashing the Apple fanboys who camp out for hours to buy the new iPhone.

The two ads were released in the last week of November and the first week of December respectively.

The graph below shows the increase in Samsung's consumer perception:

According to the report, the shift in the consumer perceptions of both these brands is mostly driven by adults above the age of 50.

The data for the report is gathered this way:

Samsung and iPhone were measured with YouGov BrandIndex’s Buzz score, which is determined from asking respondents: "If you've heard anything about the brand in the last two weeks, through advertising, news or word of mouth, was it positive or negative?"

YouGov BrandIndex measurement scores range from 100 to -100 and are compiled by subtracting negative feedback from positive. A zero score means equal positive and negative feedback.

The iPhone’s buzz score began sinking around November 28, with a buzz score of 33 – the current score is 25. Samsung, whose buzz score was 19 compared to the iPhone’s 29 on October 3rd, is now at 26.

According to Fortune the sample size of the audience was around 5,000 people who were interviewed every weekday.

Although a number of people have compared the two snarky ads to Apple's "I'm a Mac" ads, there is a key differentiator between the two. Apple chose to mock the product itself, while Samsung's ads take a dig at the consumer.

Samsung in fact continued its stride of using Apple in its commercials by introducing print ads for the Galaxy Tab in Australia which say, "This is the tablet Apple tried to stop."

It's surprising that these ads didn't create any negative sentiments towards Samsung considering that they actually took shots at people rather than the product. The folks who would have stood in lines for Apple products certainly wouldn't have formed a positive perception towards Samsung after watching these ads.

In case you haven't seen the ads already, find them embedded below and tell us how your perception of Samsung and Apple has changed as a consumer: