Samsung Empowers Gen Z to Get into Skateboarding with World Champion Sky Brown

Iris London has worked with Samsung Electronics UK to launch an impactful campaign supporting the brand’s announcement that they are joining forces with Skateboard GB, the governing body for skateboarding in the UK. The partnership will form a new platform for both brands to increase brand love and consideration amongst a gen z audience.

YouGov research, commissioned by Iris to inform the strategy, shows the growing popularity of skateboarding and skate culture among a gen z audience in the UK. The long-term partnership represents a commitment from Samsung in British skateboarding across coaching, grassroots and elite pathways, a first-of-its-kind in terms of value and brand alignment for the sport, to inspire the future generation.

Kicking off with a launch event in London’s BaySixty6 skate park, W10 London, the campaign brings together a team of influential, professional skateboarders and Skateboard GB to demo their skateboarding skills to an audience of young skateboarders from the local community, inviting them to ‘Drop In’ with Samsung on the day. The event is hosted by Marc Churchill, the sport’s most well-known UK commentator. 

The creator-led campaign has been concepted and produced by Iris - alongside Samsung - from the ground up with the skateboarding community, and aims to empower a UK gen z audience to demonstrate the guts to try skateboarding ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024. Photography, videography and skateboarding have always gone hand-in-hand, and Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip5 – with its incredible content capture capabilities using FlexCam and Flex Mode – enables skateboarders to take the perfect hands-free action shot, effortlessly capturing those bold enough to get on a board. 

Shot by passionate skateboarder and director Jake Erland, the campaign film cements the agency’s commitment to Iris Inc and puts influential creators and audience participation at its heart. The campaign brings together leading British talent and the most exciting skateboarders on the UK scene, including World Champion, Sky Brown who said, “One thing I love even more than skateboarding, is seeing others try it and love it for themselves! You have to have the right attitude, and never give up – it’s all about having guts. I can feel people in the UK getting behind our sport and I can't wait to see where we can take it together". Talented and influential skateboarders Jordan Thackeray, Stefani Nurding, Rianne Evans, Ashley Mercer and Alex DeCunha will all be taking part and capturing their content using Samsung’s latest foldable device. 

Subsequent TikTok challenges set by Sky Brown encourage a gen z audience to participate in the sport in different ways, for the chance to win the latest Samsung tech and skateboarding merchandise. Social-first content demonstrates how to best capture skateboarding content on the Z Flip5, and longer-form content appeals to a wider audience by exploring the culture surrounding skateboarding, including faces such as Chloe Kelly and Mia Regan.

It will roll out across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube between September and December 2023.

Grant Hunter, executive creative director at Iris said, “We’re on a mission to supercharge skateboarding in the UK and give gen z the ‘guts to try’ the sport by Paris 2024 and beyond. Samsung has the Korean spirit of ‘Tu-hon’ – a burning, under-dog spirit of grit and passion, and a relentless drive to succeed, which mirrors the skater mentality of going again and again and again. In addition, photography and videography have always been so integral to skateboarding culture so it’s a perfect fit. We’ve worked closely with the talent and the Skateboard GB community through our Iris Inc network of creators to co-create this campaign so it’s culturally on point”.

Annika Bizon, marketing and omnichannel director at Samsung said, “Those that pick up a skateboard, whether at the Olympics or their local skate park, are so inspiring as it demands guts and determination to keep trying. With the next Olympics around the corner, and so much untapped talent across the UK, we’re thrilled to be supporting Skateboard GB in its development of the sport.

“We also know how important photography is to these athletes, recording their progress and capturing their skills mid-air, and our Samsung foldable devices can help do just that. Forget propping your phone up on the rails or inside a shoe – Flex Mode does it for you, so you never miss a shot – no matter how many times it takes to land it.” 

James Hope-Gill, CEO at Skateboard GB said, “We’re absolutely delighted to be partnering with Samsung, as they look to support us in developing and growing skateboarding throughout the UK. Both organisations aim to inspire and nurture skaters in amazing skateable spaces across the country and this partnership is a key part of facilitating our desire to provide skaters the opportunity to 'Skate More, Skate Better' from grassroots skateboarding through to the Olympics.”

Skateboard GB will use the funds to support their goal to help all British skateboarders ‘skate more, skate better’, including more investment in coaching, grassroots funding and financing performance-pathways and competitions for elite skaters.