There are two men named Tim Cook with something to say about foldable phones right now, and only one of them works in real estate. Samsung New Zealand found the other one, a Harcourts agent from Palmerston North, and put him in front of a minimalist camera setup. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 momentum earlier this year made clear the brand was not slowing down.
The campaign arrived shortly after Apple announced the iPhone Duo, reported as the company’s first foldable smartphone. Apple’s September 9 announcement was also the first major product launch under new chief executive John Ternus, according to Apple’s official newsroom and Forbes reporting. Samsung spotted an opening and took it.
The Ad Itself
A Palmerston North real-estate agent, a minimalist backdrop, and a very familiar name.
The campaign opens with the line “Tim Cook has an announcement. And for once, it’s about Galaxy,” posted on Samsung New Zealand’s official TikTok account. The visual presentation borrows Apple’s stripped-down aesthetic: clean backgrounds, deliberate pacing, the quiet confidence of a product that assumes you already want it.
On camera, the New Zealand Cook describes the Galaxy Z Fold 8 as “the best of both worlds,” referencing its compact folded profile and larger internal display when opened. That description is a paid promotional endorsement, not an independent product assessment.
Samsung extended the campaign beyond the main spot. Additional videos feature the same Tim Cook in an unboxing and in demonstrations of features including photo editing and the smartphone‘s larger screen, according to Mashable.
Why Samsung Did This Now
Samsung timed the campaign to frame itself as the experienced foldable maker welcoming Apple as a newcomer to the category.
Samsung’s core competitive argument is seniority. By positioning a man named Tim Cook as a Galaxy advocate the moment Apple enters foldables, the campaign frames Samsung as the incumbent. A late entrant has arrived, and Samsung wants you to notice who was there first.
This is familiar territory for Samsung. The company’s 2018 “Ingenius” campaign ran a series of ads targeting the iPhone notch and the removal of the headphone jack, presenting Galaxy phones as the more practical alternative. The current campaign follows the same competitive logic, updated for a new product battleground.
The Z Fold 8 push runs alongside Samsung’s separate “Switchers” campaign. That effort directly addresses consumers reluctant to leave Apple’s ecosystem.
Together, the two campaigns suggest Samsung is treating Apple’s foldable entry less as a threat and more as a recruiting opportunity. Analyst Mark Gurman has forecast that larger displays in pocketable devices may increasingly handle tasks currently managed by laptops or tablets for some users, though that remains a directional view rather than a confirmed market outcome.
The next few months will reveal whether Apple’s arrival in foldables drives broader consumer interest in the form factor. It may instead simply redirect existing consideration toward a new competitor. For now, Samsung has the head start and the experience in a category it has been building since long before any iPhone came with a crease down the middle.
