Samsung acts as key sponsor for PyeongChang Olympics
Brazilian children with disabilities enjoy virtual reality roller coaster experiences at Galaxy Studio, set up by Samsung Electronics at Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro during September last year. Samsung Electronics ran the booth as the official telecommunication partner with the International Paralympic Committee. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Lee Min-hyung
Samsung Electronics is ready to act as a key sponsor for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in 2018 by providing a series of its latest info-tech devices such as smartphones, tablets and desktops as well as telecommunication equipment.
With just a year away from opening of the world’s largest winter sports event, the local information and communication technology industry is vying to come up with new technologies to wow visitors at home and abroad through various promotional events.
Samsung Electronics is particularly expected to draw a massive spotlight as one of the most prominent official partners for the upcoming sports gala.
Samsung has been a long-time Olympics partner since the 1988 Seoul Olympics with a sponsorship contract between Samsung and the International Olympics Committee (IOC) effective through the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Samsung has yet to unveil details for its surprise events or other special edition products for the PyeongChang Winter Games, as the firm hopes to maximize its promotional effects by revealing them shortly before the beginning of the event.
During the Rio Olympics last year, Samsung was the only Korean enterprise working as an official sponsor of the IOC.
At that time, Samsung teamed up with the IOC to provide 12,500 Galaxy S7 Edge Olympics special edition smartphones for all the athletes who participated in the event.
The company also sought to hype its latest technological achievement by opening what it called the “Galaxy studio” there, allowing visitors to experience its Galaxy Gear virtual reality head-mount display and other mobile devices. Visitors were able to enjoy virtual kayak matches.
For the winter games, the first one here, Samsung is also expected to diversify its promotional item lineup including smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops and other consumer electronics devices.
Aside from the hardware, the firm will also likely unveil promotional mobile applications. At the Olympics in Brazil, the company and the IOC launched the official Olympics app, Rio 2016, hitting more than 6 million in downloads. The app provided such information as schedules and results for each match.
But the consensus is that the firm will add more drastic and surprising functions to new apps or other newly-launched mobile ecosystems for the upcoming event, reflecting on its latest technological developments in such areas as artificial intelligence, security and the internet of things.
Olympics sponsor & responsible corporate citizen
Samsung Electronics has also been a key supporter for the paralympic events since the Torino Winter Paralympic Games in 2006, holding a series of meaningful events to raise awareness of the matches for people with disabilities.
In particular, the company has drawn the spotlight with its online video campaign ― “Sport Doesn’t Care” ― during the Sochi Winter Paralympic Games in 2014, in a bid to encourage athletes for the event and attract more attention from the online public.
The company also identifies the Olympics as a venue to expand its corporate social responsibility activities.
Also serving as an official partner for the International Paralympic Committee, the corporation joined hands with the Disabled Children Assistance Association in Brazil, inviting kids there to enjoy the Rio Paralympics Games last September.