Samsung TV uses toy monkey to capture consumers' imagination of a green future

Samsung TV has created a new light-powered remote control for its newly launched Neo QLED. To drum up interest around the remote, it worked with BBH Singapore to create a battery-powered toy monkey to imagine himself free from AA batteries, with the SolarCell remote strapped to his back powering him on a journey to the city, beach and forest to clean up the environment and do his part in building a greener future.

It also launched a global film titled "The Journey", which was shot in London and directed by animation director Adeena Grubb and stop-frame animator Andy Biddle. The film takes on a hopeful tone in capturing the imagination of a global audience, particularly Millennials, about how a little action goes a long way in preserving the planet.

According to BBH, the key to landing this storyline was creating an actual monkey puppet that was brought to life through an extensive process - all the way from initial character design, to prototyping facial expressions and finally, model building. In making a physical puppet whose idiosyncrasies could be controlled behind the scenes and shot in-camera, it helped to translate the impression of an endearing character with instant appeal and charm to the screen.

Songha Ji, VP of marketing for Samsung TV's visual display division, said it intended for this film to engage Millennials and Gen Z in order to communicate its efforts in sustainability without pushing product messages. According to Ji, the film garnered 10 million YouTube views in 10 days.

BBH Singapore's creative director Omar Sotomayor Noel, said toys are one of the biggest users of AA batteries, based on this the team created a relatable toy character who realises it is part of the problem and dreams of becoming part of the solution. "Its journey was designed to remind people that every action to help adds up, regardless of the size," he added.

Samsung TV's new remote control, which is made from recycled materials and has an in-built panel that can be charged by both sun and indoor light, will reduce waste from an estimated 140 million AA batteries. According to Samsung, the remote will also cut greenhouse gas emission by approximately 8,250 tons over a period of seven years.

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