For years, Samsung has integrated its tablets, smartphones, and, most recently, virtual reality headsets into events. And while the South Korean brand continues to promote its traditional tech products, its home appliances are now sharing the spotlight.
Earlier this month, at the New York City Wine & Food Festival, Samsung showcased its latest kitchen products, reaching thousands of food lovers and innovators—just in time for the cooking and baking blitz of the holiday season.
"Through the festival’s huge reach and impact in the New York market, Samsung not only introduced their appliances to some of the finest chefs and culinary enthusiasts but [also to] a large consumer population," said Katie Cheng, vice president of marketing for Samsung Home Appliance.
As one of the nation’s largest culinary events, the food fest boasts extensive programming, including chef-hosted dinners, walk-around tastings, late-night parties, and seminars at venues across the city, with the larger events taking place at the main culinary campus located at Piers 92 and 94 in Midtown.
"Samsung recognized that it was the ideal place for them to provide people with new ways to enjoy and connect with cooking in the kitchen," Cheng said. Adding that the brand "saw great success" at the festival, interacting with more than 29,000 attendees.
"From our initial conversations, it was clear that Samsung understood that [the festival] is very different than your typical exhibition event," said Lee Schrager, founder and producer of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and the New York City Wine & Food Festival. "They understood the need to create a lifestyle experience that would resonate with our audience, which is made up of passionate individuals eager to learn more."
The Samsung Lounge, the centerpiece of the brand’s activation located at Pier 92, offered an immersive space for attendees, and featured prepared snacks and one-on-one chef demos using the latest Black Stainless Steel appliances. At the two-day Grand Tasting, held at Pier 94, culinary demonstrations took place on a stage outfitted by the brand's appliances. (KitchenAid had equipped the festival stages in previous years.)
"Their beautiful and functional build outs for the culinary demonstration stages gave our participating chefs and culinary personalities a great backdrop to showcase their recipes during the festival," Schrager said.
In addition to the festival, Samsung has also creatively integrated its numerous household appliances—from televisions to refrigerators to washing machines—into other, perhaps less obvious, events. For the Billboard Music Awards in May, Samsung debuted a new backstage V.I.P. viewing area featuring its high-tech home appliances; a digital backdrop of fan art was streamed to Samsung televisions. At a separate Billboard Music Awards viewing party, Molly Sims used Samsung’s dual door oven and showed off the brand’s Activewash washing machine. The brand has also opened the Samsung Studio L.A., where visitors can interact with new products, attend entertainment events, and watch home-cooking Âdemonstrations.