The One Show
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UnCrush
Agency BBH USA / New York + Samsung Electronics America / Plano TX + Harbor Picture Company + No Face Studio
Category
Social Post / Real-time Response
Annual ID
OS25_SM010S
Background
On May 7th, 2024, when Apple launched their iPad ad “Crush!”—a film showing beautiful analog creative tools and instruments—guitars, pianos, paint, easels, and more—being crushed in a giant compactor, all reduced into the slim form of a thinner iPad—it became their biggest advertising blunder in years.
We knew we had to do something about it. If Apple was going to crush creativity, we needed to show Samsung standing up for it.
We knew we had to do something about it. If Apple was going to crush creativity, we needed to show Samsung standing up for it.
Creative Idea
After Apple’s biggest blunder in years, we were ready to respond. The backlash to the “Crush” iPad spot gave us the perfect opportunity to challenge the core of Apple’s brand: creativity. Within a week, we remade their ad—not to erase creative tools, but to celebrate them.
Our concept was simple: pick up where Apple left off. In the same empty warehouse where beloved instruments were destroyed, our protagonist discovered a broken guitar. Defiantly, she played a song, with her Galaxy Tab S9 displaying sheet music—not replacing creativity, but supporting it. The film closed with a powerful statement: “Creativity cannot be crushed.” The message was clear—even in the face of destruction, creativity always finds a way.
Our concept was simple: pick up where Apple left off. In the same empty warehouse where beloved instruments were destroyed, our protagonist discovered a broken guitar. Defiantly, she played a song, with her Galaxy Tab S9 displaying sheet music—not replacing creativity, but supporting it. The film closed with a powerful statement: “Creativity cannot be crushed.” The message was clear—even in the face of destruction, creativity always finds a way.
Insights & Strategy
Unexpectedly, Apple helped us out with their own advertising gaffe. When they launched their ad “Crush!” for their new iPad on May 7th, 2024, it became their biggest advertising blunder in years. The film showed beautiful analog creative tools & instruments - guitars, pianos, paint, easels, etc. being crushed in a giant compactor - all into the slim form factor of a thinner iPad. It was as if all of humanity’s creativity was being replaced by a corporation’s lifeless technology.
As angry tweets and memes from the creative community flooded the internet, we knew we had to act fast. If Apple was going to crush creativity, we needed to show Samsung standing up for it.
Having worked on Samsung Tabs, we knew tablets don’t actually compete with IRL creativity. Instead, they use Tabs for their analog hobbies from cooking to learning how to do DIY projects, to playing music. That became our strategy: show the world that Galaxy believes tech exists to assist people with their real-world passions, not replace them.
As angry tweets and memes from the creative community flooded the internet, we knew we had to act fast. If Apple was going to crush creativity, we needed to show Samsung standing up for it.
Having worked on Samsung Tabs, we knew tablets don’t actually compete with IRL creativity. Instead, they use Tabs for their analog hobbies from cooking to learning how to do DIY projects, to playing music. That became our strategy: show the world that Galaxy believes tech exists to assist people with their real-world passions, not replace them.
Execution
Within a few days, it became clear Apple’s iPad ad was a huge gaffe online. We drafted up a script Friday of that week, shot over the weekend, and got our response live one week after the iPad ad debuted - all for under $20K.
Results
By seizing Apple’s gaffe with our UnCrush response, we changed the conversation:
*61M total impressions and 85 different headlines, all with zero media investment
*+58,454% increase in engagements over our benchmarks
*Shifted the “Proud to Own” perceptions of Samsung to overtake Apple that quarter
For the first time in years, we made people think different about Apple and see Samsung as a champion of creativity.
*61M total impressions and 85 different headlines, all with zero media investment
*+58,454% increase in engagements over our benchmarks
*Shifted the “Proud to Own” perceptions of Samsung to overtake Apple that quarter
For the first time in years, we made people think different about Apple and see Samsung as a champion of creativity.
2025 Awards
Total Points: 21
Silver Pencil
Credits
Agency
BBH USA / New York
Client / Brand
Samsung Electronics America / Plano TX
Production Company
Harbor Picture Company
No Face Studio
Associate Creative Director
Lee Lawrence
Chief Creative Officer
Erica Roberts
Chief Strategy Officer
Samantha Deevy
Director
Zen Pace
Director of Photography
Steve McCord
Editor
Ilya Katsap
Executive Creative Director
Estefanio Holtz
Producer
Henry Wolf
Misha Kozlov
Strategy Director
Dylan Fauss
Head of Digital Marketing & Social Commerce
Jaclyn Wyatt
Head of Social Media, Mobile
Amie Brooks-Bartlett
Senior Producer
Doug Harrison
Sr. Art Director
Sofia Gahn
CMO, Mobile Experience
Olga Suvorova
Director, Brand & Product Marketing
Benjamin Ricks
Group Account Director
Ryan Schira
Head of Production
Deb Archambault
President
Agnes Fischer
Production Designer
Katie Balun
Senior Business Affairs Manager
Katrina Parker
Senior Color Assist
Joni Brandenburg
Senior Colorist
Oisin O'Driscoll
Senior Producer, Audio
Lauren Boyle
Senior Producer, Color
Brad Martin
Senior Program Manager
Juli Faltas
Senior Sound Mixer
Diego Arancibia
Sr Art Director
Whitney Amezaga
Sr Director & Head of Creative Services
Joo-Mee Song
Sr Manager, Creative Services
Chloe Peterson
Sr. Director, Product Marketing & Brand Management
Michael Somers
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