Samsung is leveraging the buzz around the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan to amplify its “Open always wins” campaign, blanketing the city with out-of-home advertising. This isn’t simply branding; it’s a strategic move to solidify Samsung’s position as a key player in the Olympic ecosystem and, more importantly, to subtly showcase its foldable technology – specifically the Galaxy Z Flip – as integral to capturing and sharing those ‘open’ moments.
- Strategic Timing: The campaign launches now, over a year before the Games, building anticipation and associating Samsung with the event’s positive energy.
- Athlete Focus: Featuring Italian athletes with ‘Victory Selfies’ taken on the Z Flip subtly promotes the device’s capabilities in a relatable, human context.
- City-Wide Immersion: The extensive coverage across Milan’s key locations aims to make Samsung’s presence unavoidable, maximizing brand recall.
Samsung’s Olympic partnerships are long-standing, dating back to 1998. However, this campaign feels different. The “Open always wins” theme, initially introduced at Paris 2024, isn’t just a slogan; it’s a direct tie-in to the functionality of devices like the Galaxy Z Flip. The emphasis on capturing “precious moments” and “Victory Selfies” implicitly highlights the phone’s unique form factor and hands-free capabilities – a key differentiator in a crowded smartphone market. This is a calculated effort to move beyond simply being a sponsor and become a visible, functional part of the Olympic experience.
The choice of Milan as the launchpad is also significant. Italy is a key European market for Samsung, and Milan is a global fashion and design capital. Associating the brand with this city’s aesthetic and cultural influence elevates its image. The campaign’s locations – Duomo, Pirelli 39, Corso Como – are all iconic landmarks, ensuring maximum visibility and reinforcing the message of integration into everyday life.
The Forward Look
Expect Samsung to double down on this strategy leading up to and during the Milano Cortina 2026 Games. We’ll likely see increased integration of Samsung devices into the Olympic broadcast, athlete training programs, and fan experiences. More importantly, this campaign signals a broader shift in Samsung’s marketing approach. They’re moving away from simply touting specs and towards showcasing how their technology enables and enhances real-life moments. The success of this campaign will likely influence future Olympic sponsorships and marketing strategies across the tech industry. Competitors like Apple and Google will be watching closely to see if Samsung can successfully translate brand awareness into increased device sales. The real test will be whether this campaign can drive adoption of the Galaxy Z Flip series, proving that innovative form factors can resonate with mainstream consumers. Further expansion of this campaign to other host cities and Olympic qualifying events is highly probable, solidifying Samsung’s long-term commitment to the Olympic movement and its own brand narrative.
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