Samsung takes Z5 online to drive purchase

SOUTHEAST ASIA Samsung has taken an aggressive digital approach for the launch of its latest MP3 player, the
Z5, after research showed that consumers relied on the web and magazines to help them make their purchase
decisions.

Three microsites - created by Stereotype Design, a local interactive shop - have been launched for the debut of its slimmest MP3 offering, which was designed by Paul Mercer of Apple iPod fame.

The first microsite features an interactive showcase of the product.

Samsung has also launched an interactive guide and a Music Mix microsite, which lets consumers mix their own music and upload it onto their phones. The latter was recently named an Adobe Acrobat 'Site of the Day'.

Samsung's regional brand director Edwin Koh explained that the brand was banking on technology and design to position itself as the innovative leader and differentiate itself from the market leader in the style stakes, Apple's iPod. "Our main target audience is the premium seeker: 20- to 30-year-old working professionals who want an MP3, which they can carry to the office and which would suit their professional attire," he said.