Earlier this week, Honor introduced the Magic V3, the world’s thinnest foldable device, at IFA 2024. However, this promotion attracted attention not only with its technical features but also with its marketing strategy.

Honor ran an aggressive campaign by making references to Samsung before the launch, and this strategy created great controversy. The company highlighted the thinness of its device by referring to the thickness of Samsung’s foldable phones during the promotion process. This humorous approach was a clear strategy in which the brand directly targeted its competitor. Additionally, the “world’s smallest apology” message engraved on the Magic V3’s hinge was a reference to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 owners. This “apology” implied that Samsung’s foldable phones were disappointing to users because they were bulky.

Honor’s marketing tactics did not end here. The company made a new move with a minibus with a “review” written on it and the name “Sam Sung”, which roams the streets of France. This pun suggested that “Sam Sung,” an alleged biomedical sciences graduate from London, rated the Magic V3 as the “#1 foldable phone.” The same strategy continued with another “Sam Sung” character, this time another Sam Sung, a recruiter from Glasgow, who described the Magic V3 as “the absolute best foldable phone”.

Although these clever word games and entertaining references are found entertaining by some, it is also widely believed that Honor’s marketing strategy has become a bit forced. Such constant criticism against Samsung may actually be pushing the strength of Honor’s own product into the background. While the Magic V3 is a stylish device with technically impressive features, the marketing focus has shifted to criticism of Samsung rather than these features.

This type of aggressive marketing should aim to draw consumers’ attention to the product, not the competition. But Honor continually Making references to Samsung may cause the brand not to highlight its own identity sufficiently. As a result, the view that a product like Magic V3 should stand out with its own performance and features is gaining ground.