Company: Samsung Electronics North America, Ridgefield Park, NJ
Entry Submitted By: Weber Shandwick
Company Description: Samsung Electronics North America (NAHQ), based in Ridgefield Park, NJ, is an arm of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. The company markets a broad range of award-winning consumer electronics, information systems, and home appliance products, as well as oversees all of Samsung’s North American brand management.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Community Relations

Nomination Title: Samsung Helps Schools Solve for Tomorrow

Tell the story about this nominated campaign since January 1 2012 (up to 525 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

Of all U.S. high school students who graduated in 2011, only 45 percent were ready for college-level math and 30 percent for science, according to ACT. This reflects the challenge facing the U.S. in preparing students for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers. 

Samsung launched its second annual Solve for Tomorrow contest in September 2011, an 8-month program that ended in April 2012. Public school teachers entered for a chance to be among the 25 classrooms selected from more than 1,500 applicants to receive more than $1,000 in technology to create videos answering the challenge: Show how STEM can help the environment in your community.  Twelve finalists (from the 25) received $70,000 in technology and were part of a public online vote to choose a Community Choice winner. A panel of judges selected four additional schools as winners from these finalists. The five grand prize winners each received $100,000 in technology and met with a Congressional Representative from their state. Overall, the program awarded more than $1 million in technology to 25 public schools nationwide. 

Objectives: 

 - Raise enthusiasm for STEM among students
 - Grow the number of submissions for the contest
 - Secure 100,000 votes during the online voting phase
 - Secure meetings with Congressional Representatives from finalists’ home states
 - Increase the amount of overall coverage year-over-year, including local and broadcast coverage

Strategy:

Samsung implemented a multi-phased campaign to deliver coverage and generate support for each school as they advanced through the contest:

 - Engage influencers from the education, public policy, consumer electronics, and government sectors in the program
 - Leverage partnerships to help generate awareness and credibility for the campaign, while strengthening Samsung’s visibility
 - Issue a call to action to directly involve the public in the contest
 - Engage national media to articulate Samsung’s commitment to STEM education  - Customize news to highlight participants among local media

Tactics:

The following phased approach was implemented:

 - Contest Announcement
     o Developed program messaging
     o Conducted SMT with John Legend
     o Engaged media/influencers
     o Led conversations with largest school districts nationally
     o Distributed press release

 - 25 Finalists
     o Engaged media in local community markets

 - Online Voting
     o Pitched 12 finalists to broadcast/traditional media
     o Provided media with b-roll
     o Encouraged public to vote online

- Winner Announcement
     o Engaged media in local community markets - Finale Event
     o Reached out to national media to secure interviews with John Legend and Samsung
     o Engaged local media
     o Arranged meetings for winning schools with local Congressional Representatives
     o Leveraged Twitter and Facebook pages, including those of John Legend and Congressional Representatives

Results:

Samsung successfully increased students’ enthusiasm for STEM subjects, and raised awareness for the program and the educational issue it addresses.

- Increased number of submissions by 25% year-over-year
 - Secured more than 260,000 online votes
 - Increased amount of overall coverage with more than 160.8 million impressions (41.8% increase year-over-year); 583 pieces of coverage nationally/regionally
 - Secured meetings with 10 members of Congress, at least one from each finalist’s region
 - Created advocates with Congressional offices issuing releases/statements/social media posts
 - Received positive feedback from participating teachers/students

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Provide a brief (up to 125 words) biography about the leader(s) of the team that carried out this campaign:

Dr. David Steel leads corporate strategy across all business units for Samsung Electronics North America, reporting to the CEO. He is also responsible for corporate communications and corporate responsibility.

He previously spent 10 years with Samsung in Korea, where he oversaw projects for numerous companies within the Samsung Group. In 2002, he became the first non-Korean appointed as a Samsung corporate executive.

He is on the board of directors of the Korean American Community Foundation.  Dr. Steel earned a PhD in Physics from MInd an MBA from the University of Chicago.

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