Samsung Microcodes
The tiniest way to create enormous buzz
With 100x zoom, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has the best camera in smartphone history.
To launch it, we did something massive by doing something tiny. Microcodes. Tiny codes were hidden in S20 ads around Australia, invisible to the naked eye.
Each spelled the word ‘phone’ in a unique way. By finding the phone in the phone ad, anyone could win a free phone. But without the 100x zoom - the easiest way to see the codes - people had to get creative. From billboards to newspapers to TV commercials, no pixel of our ads was left unexamined.
Online communities shared tip and cheats. People tried to hack us. One guy even gave a demo on how to be retargeted by banner ads. The campaign was the ultimate product demonstration...without the product. Proving why you need the product.