Samsung’s AI Ad Campaign Sparks Backlash Over “Choose Real” Irony

Samsung is facing significant criticism for its new promotional strategy. The company’s global YouTube channel has begun publishing AI-generated videos. These ads promote its Neo QLED television lineup.

The content is being widely described as low-effort “AI slop.” This move is seen as highly ironic, as the ads use the slogan “It’s fake; choose real!” to criticize competing display technologies. According to Reuters, the campaign has been active for roughly two weeks.

A Stark Contrast to Past Marketing Promises

This new approach sharply contradicts Samsung’s previous brand messaging. Just last year, the company released its “UnCrush” advertisement. That ad directly mocked Apple for a campaign that was seen as crushing creative tools.

Samsung’s tagline was “We would never crush creativity.” It featured a human musician playing a classical guitar. The ad was praised for its authentic and human-centric message.

The current AI-generated ads lack this human element entirely. They use synthetic voices and generic, algorithmically created visuals. This has left viewers and brand followers disappointed with the stark shift in quality.

Broader Implications for Brand Trust and AI Use

The situation highlights a growing tension in corporate marketing. Companies are rapidly adopting AI tools to cut costs and increase output. However, this can come at the expense of brand authenticity and consumer trust.

Industry analysts note that this could damage Samsung’s reputation for quality. The Associated Press has reported on increasing consumer skepticism toward AI-generated marketing. Audiences are becoming more adept at identifying synthetic content.

For consumers, the incident serves as a reminder to critically evaluate advertising claims. A brand’s message about quality must be reflected in its own actions. The disconnect here is causing more harm than good for Samsung’s image.

The backlash against these Samsung AI ads underscores a critical lesson for the industry: authenticity cannot be automated, and messaging must align with method to maintain consumer trust.

Thought you’d like to know

What is the main criticism against Samsung’s new ads?

The main criticism is the extreme irony. The AI-generated ads tell viewers to “choose real” technology while being fake, synthetic content themselves. This contradicts Samsung’s past stance on valuing human creativity.

How long has Samsung been posting these AI videos?

The campaign started approximately two weeks ago. The company’s global YouTube channel has been consistently uploading this style of AI-generated promotional content since then.

What was Samsung’s “UnCrush” ad about?

It was a response to an Apple ad that showed a hydraulic press crushing creative tools. Samsung’s ad featured a real person playing guitar with the tagline, “We would never crush creativity,” promoting a human-centric approach.

Why does this ad strategy hurt Samsung’s brand?

It hurts the brand by creating a major inconsistency. Samsung is known for high-quality, thoughtful advertising. Replacing it with low-effort AI content undermines that reputation and consumer trust.

Has Samsung commented on the backlash?

As of now, Samsung has not issued any public statement addressing the criticism of its new AI-generated advertising campaign on YouTube. The content remains published on its official channel.