Samsung's new ad for its S21 Ultra phone ... is a series on Hulu

When promoting new products, most tech companies host a fast-paced event followed by TV and digital ads.

Now, Samsung is taking the holo to a new level by developing a six-part series for Hulu in which eight photographers use their new Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G phone to take photos and Compete for prizes.

The S21 Ultra, which Samsung launched in January, costs  $1,199.99, making it a pricey smartphone in a highly competitive market. Apple's first 5G-enabled iPhones (the most expensive of which starts at 1,099) were introduced just three months ago.

As Internet users become more and more motivated to block or block ads, Samsung hopes that its new show will be another attractive way to get the device in front of consumers.

The series, called "Express", follows the form of other popular reality competition shows, such as "Project Runway" or "The Great British Baking Show." Only this time, it is designed to showcase the competitors' abilities, not just a specific project.

Janet Lee, Samsung's vice president of mobile marketing, told CNN Business, "Our goal is to encourage viewers to discover their creativity through smartphone camera technology - connecting with friends and family. It's a great way for people to share their daily lives. "

"Exhibition" goes beyond the basic product placement that viewers typically see on TV or streaming shows. In fact, if the trailer is a hint, it can be difficult for viewers to say that Samsung is behind the project. The creators said they wanted the branding to be fine, so there was no breakthrough, just "Samsung-sponsored" signaling.

"We demonstrated this technology as ethics," said William Swan, head of entertainment at BBHLA, Samsung's longtime marketing agency.

The series will start on Monday from Hulu.

S21 Ultra display

According to Samsung and BBH LA, the camera features of the S21 Ultra make it stand out from the rest of the photography industry.

"We were learning about all the incredible features of this tool," Swann said. "How do we make it a hero? Let's create a form that basically treats the product like an IP."

The S21 Ultra has four rear cameras: a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens for shooting scenes or group shots, a 108-megapixel wide-angle lens for clarity and color accuracy, and two two-megapixel telephoto lenses. Work together for more zoom. In shots

Samsung says the phone's artificial intelligence features can help users take better photos - it has tools that can capture high-quality images in low light and capture 8K video in an image. Can change the image.

"I don't think the show could have existed 10 years ago," Swann said, "because mobile photography technology wasn't so advanced." "Now, you can shoot an Oscar-winning film in your pocket on camera."

Each event involves two image challenges, such as #throbic thump and "body motion", which aim to highlight the different features of the camera. The competition is run by industry professionals, including "beginning" cinematographer Pephster and skate photographer Atiba Jefferson.

BBH and Samsung partnered with Jada Punct and Will Smith's Westbrook Entertainment to produce the series.

A new front for advertising

If "exposure" seems like an expensive, expansive way to market a new device, it's probably because the show's creators declined to disclose the cost, but Swann said That they expect the program to be a much more important, long-term payment, say, a TV commercial that lasts for a few weeks.

"(You) are creating an ecosystem that doesn't just run as a media bullet for a month or two when launching a product," Swann said. "Now you have something on the streamer that will ... remind users for 10 years."

The series also offers an opportunity to create new types of partnerships for Hulu and other streamers.

Creating original programming can be a great way to reach brands' audiences who don't like to see ads that stray from the show they're trying to see.

"Consumers are increasingly making it clear that they don't want to be a hindrance, they want to enjoy the content experience as much as they can," Scott Donaton, Hulu's creative head, told CNN Business.

Funding brands to create new shows can be invaluable for streamers, who rely on expanding their content libraries to stay ahead of the competition. In 2019, Hulu launched a greenhouse creative operation to formalize the creation of such branded programs.