Circle The City with Samsung

The Coolr Effect

– 9.7M+ people reached across social
– 8.1M+ video views
– 992K engagements
– 105K follower growth
– Won Silver at The Drum Awards

The Story

To launch Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy AI on social, we didn’t rely on feature-led messaging. Instead, we turned the city into the stage.

As part of the above-the-line activity, Samsung partnered with Transport for London to reimagine the iconic Tube map for the first time in 90 years. The map was redesigned as a perfect circle to spotlight Samsung’s new Circle to Search feature on Galaxy S24 – allowing users to Google search anything on their screen simply by circling it, without ever leaving the app.

Enter Samsung Circle the City: a social-first, community-powered activation that brought together culture, movement and technology.

In partnership with Jonny Davies (@jonnyrdavies) and Team Galaxy’s Warren (@WozLDN), we hosted a 24.8km community run covering the full TfL Circle Line. The run empowered 100 runners, including micro running talent, to experience Samsung’s new AI technology IRL. Taking place on 3rd February 2024, the activation ran in tandem with Samsung’s wider Samsung x TfL media takeover, anchoring the social idea in a real-world cultural moment.

The experience unfolded across the city:
– 100 runners wore bespoke Circle the City merch, creating instant visual impact
– The run kicked off at Samsung KX with a warm-up and hero start-line moment
– Runners stopped at Paddington to refuel and take part in playful, circle-inspired games
– At Embankment, runners got hands-on with Galaxy S24 Ultra, supported by product trainers showcasing Circle to Search and Galaxy AI in real time
– The route looped back to Samsung KX for post-run celebrations, complete with DJ, food and drinks

The event was designed not just to be experienced live, but to live on across social. A 60+ strong production crew captured every stage of the journey, ensuring content felt authentic, energetic and community-led.

Content was built with social at its core:
– A five-stage rollout (tease, fast start, launch lead-up, launch moment and sustain) maintained momentum before, during and after the event
– 30+ pieces of platform-native content were produced across TikTok, Instagram and Meta
– Creator-led storytelling embedded the technology naturally within existing communities, rather than forcing feature demos

By grounding innovation in a community-led, city-wide moment, we didn’t just launch a device – we created a cultural experience people genuinely wanted to be part of.

The Takeaway

– Big tech lands best when it’s activated in the real world
– Community-led experiences drive deeper cultural relevance
– Social-first thinking combines IRL & digital worlds in perfect harmony