Samsung Ad Uses a Different Tim Cook to Promote Galaxy Z Fold 8

The ad says “Tim Cook” bought a Galaxy Fold. The man is identified as “Tim Cook from Palmerston North,” and he happens to share the same name and a similar appearance with Apple's former chief executive. In the spot, he says, “the future is here.” Samsung also takes a jab at Apple's Tim Cook by referring to his recently updated profile picture, according to The Verge.

The commercial continues a long-running pattern in Samsung marketing that targets its biggest rival. More than a decade ago, Samsung ran an ad mocking iPhone fans who were willing to wait in lengthy lines for Apple's latest phone. A later ad for the Galaxy Note 8 included a viral shot of a devoted Apple fan whose haircut matched the iPhone's notch. Samsung also produced a series of “Ingenius” ads that teased Apple's Genius Bar tech support. In those spots, customers asked an Apple Store employee whether iPhones had various Samsung features, such as a headphone jack or an included fast charger.

Not all of the ads relied on comedy. In 2024, Samsung responded to controversy around Apple's “Crush” iPad ad with a scene of a woman playing a damaged guitar on a recreation of Apple's set. The ad carried the tagline “Creativity cannot be crushed,” The Verge reported.

The Samsung-Apple rivalry has also prompted advertisements from other companies. Microsoft once released an ad suggesting the two camps were “kind of like fighting,” according to The Verge. The new Samsung spot arrives during Apple's iPhone Duo announcement.