Samsung wants you to know its new phone, the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, is good at capturing photos. Maybe you could outwardly tell from its five image sensors, including four on the back, that the company takes mobile photography seriously. But if not, you now have an entire Hulu series to watch in which the S21 Ultra 5G is the main character.
The company announced today it’s created a branded Hulu show called Exposure where up-and-coming photographers compete in challenges to be crowned “America’s best mobile photographer.” The show will debut on April 26th, and it entirely centers on the S21 Ultra 5G; it’s the only device contestants will use to capture their images. This is Samsung’s best attempt at showing off its phone in less of a commercial format — although, in reality, this show is an extended commercial.
Branded content is nothing new for TV. But typically, these partnerships are more covert. Maybe the device someone uses is a specific phone that they mention aloud, or the hosts of a show drive a specific car that lingers on the screen for a second longer than expected. Exposure is, instead, a full-out admittance from Samsung that it is so invested in making sure people know about its camera technology that it’s willing to spend money on an entire series.
For what it’s worth, Verge reviewer Dieter Bohn said the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G’s cameras did live up to the hype when he reviewed the device in January. “The camera system on the Galaxy S21 Ultra is the best I’ve used on any Android phone and is extremely competitive with the iPhone 12 Pro Max,” he wrote.
These Exposure contestants will likely capture quality images. You just have to be okay with the fact that you’re watching content that Samsung approves and wants you to see.
