Samsung bids for India growth

The campaign, targeting IT-savvy consumers, positions the Samsung X Series as the lightest and thinnest notebook PC, priced between US$1,590 and $2,950. Newsletters are being sent to more than two million Yahoo and Rediff subscribers, while pop-up advertisements, MSN messenger bars and all Yahoo and Rediff email signatures carry live Samsung banners, which lead to a microsite offering a demo run and participation in a contest. "We are also seeking to introduce the power and functionality of Samsung Note PCs to more and more consumers through this campaign," said Ramanjeet Singh, country product manager, Note PC, Samsung India. For Samsung, which holds around five per cent share of the notebook market, the main challenges include increasing awareness of the product range and enhancing acceptability of its notebooks. The month-long campaign, which ends in mid-May, is offering a Samsung Note PC to the winner of the online contest. Through the campaign, a branded screensaver, which demonstrates the features and power of Samsung Note PCs, is being circulated. Samsung plans to have 400 channel partners across the country, with focus on distribution through consumer retail channels and conventional IT channels. IDC forecasts that the notebook market in India will increase from 160,000 last year to 300,000 in terms of volume by the end of fiscal 2005.