samsung-sign

The information spilling out of the Apple vs. Samsung lawsuit is compelling and, sometimes a bit hilarious. A new slide from Samsung’s side of the argument was published this week, and it shows how Samsung was trying to identify itself amid the competition, including Google, Nokia, Apple and Sony Ericsson, with portraits of a person for each company.

samsung-personality

The image, which has the label “Communicating Our Samsung Personality,” shows Google as a sort of Seinfield-ish guy with a button down shirt, but a seemingly relaxed attitude. Nokia is identified as an older man, maybe retired, in glasses. Apple, meanwhile, is a relaxed dude wearing a t-shirt and jeans while kicking back in a chair. Sony-Ericsson is portrayed as a woman, perhaps in her twenties. Samsung is a staunch-looking corporate guy and, clearly, that’s where the company was trying to change its attitude.

Samsung has come a long way from that look, I think. The Galaxy series of phones certainly have a more jovial, youthful feel. To get a better idea of what I’m talking about, just look at Samsung’s marketing, which has clearly worked. The firm’s commercials against Apple portray the Cupertino company’s customers as older, while Samsung’s customers are more cool and hip — showing that Samsung actually tried to sway the opinion of the public away from its own image of itself. A partnership with Jay-Z for the Galaxy S4 also helped Samsung change that. We wonder what portrait it would choose for itself now.