Galaxy Note 7 was at the heart of the biggest recall in mobile history, and Samsung is atoning for its mistake. The company opened a casting call, urging owners of the flamboyant device to share their experiences in an advert.
The company hopes that the video ad would dampen the damage and irritation caused by the inflammable Galaxy Note 7.
As many as 2.5 million Note 7 phablets were subject to recall earlier this year. The massive exchange program started only a few weeks after the product landed on shelves, as it became clear that the smartphone sported batteries that had a penchant for overheating and even exploding.
Samsung acknowledges that its clients were grieved by the incidents, and is making an attempt at rebuilding the Note's reputation. In order to succeed, the OEM wants people who have bought the device to appear in an advert.
O'Connor Casting is the agency that is at the helm of the project.
In its call to action, the agency asks current or former owners of the Note to "share their experiences with the Galaxy Note 7, the Note 7 recall and their overall experience with Samsung." A proof of ownership will be required from the selected candidates.
The final ad will be shot in New York, with those selected to appear in it getting paid $600 or more. To put it in perspective, a new Galaxy Note 7 from AT&T costs $879.99, getting one from T-Mobile or Sprint costs $849.99, with Verizon standing in the middle at $864.
Additionally, travel and accommodation during the project will be provided by Samsung. The advert is scheduled for shooting sometime between Oct. 7 and Oct. 17.
Interview dates are on Oct. 5 to 7 (Wednesday to Friday), with all the interviews scheduled to take place at O'Connor Casting Company. The casting agency, which is based in Chicago, notes that residents from outside the Windy City can also participate by submitting a video application.
Samsung has deployed a massive recall program for its potentially explosive devices and those who purchased a Note 7 were asked to exchange them for a new device, with the option to request a refund instead. When Samsung customers in its home market are concerned, they seem to maintain faith in the OEM. Only 4 percent of South Korean Galaxy Note 7 owners asked for their money back, while the rest were satisfied to get a non-inflammable Note 7.
In September, the OEM announced that about 60 percent of its potentially hazardous Note 7 devices went through the exchange process, worldwide.
