Samsung calls on the world to “Do What You Can’t”
Worldwide TOP Partner Samsung has welcomed the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Torch Relay on its first day in the Republic of Korea.
Sang Hwa Lee, a two-time gold medal-winner and a torchbearer for Samsung, carried the Olympic flame accompanied by 200 “Dream Class” students and teachers. Samsung Dream Class is a key Samsung social contribution programme, promoting education equality by supporting the educational activities of middle- and high-school students in underprivileged areas.
Samsung announced that it had selected Sang-hwa Lee, one of the nation’s top sports stars, to spread Samsung’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Torch Relay campaign theme: “Do What You Can’t.” Lee will be competing to win her third consecutive Olympic Games medal in PyeongChang – the first such attempt in Korea’s speed skating history.
Samsung’s ‘Do What You Can't’ campaign has been a great opportunity for me to share my story and hopefully encourage others — the Dream Class students and dreamers alike — to strive to reach their dreams!
“Today, carrying the flame on the first day of Korea’s first Olympic Winter Games was very meaningful for me. And Samsung’s ‘Do What You Can't’ campaign has been a great opportunity for me to share my story and hopefully encourage others — the Dream Class students and dreamers alike — to strive to reach their dreams,” said Lee.
Receiving the torch from Sang-hwa Lee was Jung-ah Lee, a Samsung Dream Class student, who said, “Participating in the Torch Relay with Sang-hwa Lee really encouraged me to pursue my dreams. I want to learn from her passion and never-give-up perseverance.”
Samsung, which selected 1,500 torchbearers through a nomination campaign in April this year, will conduct a variety of marketing activities for 101 days together with these torchbearers, sharing stories of determination and courage and creating a festive atmosphere in the run-up to the Games.
Other torchbearers for Samsung include Magnus Kim, a cross-country skier; roboticist Professor Dennis Hong; Chang-hoon Lee, Korea’s first visually impaired news anchor; Se-jin Kim, better known as the robotic leg swimmer; and the Club des Chefs, consisting of the nation’s leading chefs – Jung-sik Yim, Ki-hak Lim, Min-goo Kang, Chung-hoo Lee and Hyung-jun Kwon. They will share stories about how they have broken down barriers to achieve their dreams and lend even greater significance to the company’s campaign.
“Samsung will boost the festive mood of the Torch Relay and actively engage with local communities through various marketing activities including the caravan and city celebrations,” said Younghee Lee, CMO and Executive Vice-President, Samsung Electronics.
Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Olympic Games Seoul 1988. Beginning with the Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices.
Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2020.