TORONTO (Digital Journal) — When I walked into the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Walker Court, I was faced with a truly amazing sight. An array of Samsung LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens surrounded the dining area and about 100 attendees exchanged business cards while waiting for the show to start.
I wouldn’t normally describe a product launch as a “show”, but in Samsung’s case, the company spared no expense to make sure its marketing message blended smoothly with entertainment and celebrity. After all, Samsung Electronics Canada invited resellers, Korean colleagues and media to unveil its largest LCD monitor available on the Canadian market — at 46 inches, the SyncMaster 460P is a remarkable unit.
The night began with the frenetic fiddling courtesy of violinist Dr. Draw. Rocking out like a young Ashley MacIsaac, he played intense riffs while a Samsung rep whisked away a black cloth to reveal the SyncMaster. Several people emitted the requisite “Oooooh.”
And then came the self-congratulatory statements that were as much part of this event as suits and ties. But Samsung wasn’t falsely singing its praises. As Jason Park, CEO of Samsung Canada, rightly said during his address, “We have the number one market share in LCD monitors globally and in Canada.”
He went on to explain his company’s goal. “Integral to increasing market share is mingling image perfection and technical design.”
Indeed, the SyncMaster is a display that outperforms most of its rivals. It used a microchip called MagicColour that intensifies colours and sharpens the overall image of the picture. In geekspeak, MagicColour increases the saturation point of blue, green and red colours, while protecting natural skin tones.
This feature is ideal for demanding applications including digital photography, graphically demanding games and watching movies, said Bob Park (no relation), marketing manager for Samsung Canada. By the end of the year, all Samsung LCD screen will be outfitted with this MagicColour chip.
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Samsung’s LCDs lined the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Walker Court in an entertaining event. — Photo by Greig Reekie |
As impressive as the screen looked, so was the culinary wooing. Dinner included filet mignon and fluffy mashed potatoes, capped with strawberry cheesecake. At my table, filled with PR staff and other journalists, everyone seemed to be in agreement about two things: Great food and stunning technology.
But Samsung wasn’t through courting our favour. They introduced Bruce Mau, superstar designer who recently directed an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario called Massive Change. With smart design on his mind, Mau lectured about the importance of innovation in a cookie-cutter world, and asked, “Now that we can do anything we want, what will we do?” It’s an important question for tech companies such as Samsung, particularly when it comes to their LCD division. Sure, their 46-incher is sharp enough to cut away the competition, but at $12,000, commercial penetration may not be as quick as Samsung would like.
After the caterers cleared away our dessert plates, Mau guided us upstairs through his sprawling exhibit. Filled with technological miscellany such as the Segway scooter and ancient Apple computers, Massive Change demonstrated the evolution of progress we constantly experience. As its website says, Massive Change is “a celebration of our global capacities but also a cautious look at our limitations.”
Once again, a Mauism works with Samsung’s LCD projects. Undoubtedly, the mammoth company can turn digital images into lifelike reproductions, but technology can only do so much to replicate reality. By the look of the gadgetry on display at the Samsung event, it wasn’t a concern for Samsung. They were too excited about their new lineup to worry about any limitations.
