"Jogging Alone at Dawn?"... UK Outraged Over Samsung Galaxy Ad

"Insensitive to Social Issues," Criticized by BBC and The Guardian
Samsung Responds: "No Intention to Disregard Discussions on Women's Safety"

[Asia Economy, reporter Kim Jungwan] British media outlets have reported that Samsung's Galaxy advertisement, which features a woman jogging alone in the city at 2 a.m., is being criticized for its unrealistic depiction of a woman running alone at dawn and for being insensitive to social issues, especially in light of a recent series of murders targeting women.

On April 28 (local time), local media such as the BBC and The Guardian reported that Samsung's recent Galaxy advertisement is facing criticism from some women's running groups and women's safety activists, who argue that the ad is unrealistic and insensitive for depicting a woman jogging alone at 2 a.m.

In the one-minute advertisement titled "Night Owls," a young woman checks her Galaxy Watch to confirm it is 2 a.m., puts on her Galaxy Buds, and runs alone through dark streets and alleys. At one point, she passes a man riding a bicycle on a deserted bridge.

According to local media, after the ad was released, the hashtag "#shewasonarun" began circulating on social networking services (SNS) as a form of criticism. The phrase, which literally translates to "#shewasrunningaway," was used by local netizens to share the kinds of threats women may face while running, amplifying the criticism of the ad.

“Reclaim These Streets,” a UK-based women's safety civic group, referenced the case of a 23-year-old woman who was murdered while running alone on a canal path in Ireland in the afternoon in January this year. The group criticized the advertisement for being indifferent to safety concerns. This incident had sparked broader discussions about the safety of women running alone.

Jamie Klingler, who founded the organization after the case of Sarah Everard, a woman in her 30s who was abducted and murdered by a police officer while walking home at night in London last year, commented, "It shows that there were no women in decision-making positions."

Esther Newman, the editor of the magazine "Women's Running," pointed out that the advertisement does not reflect reality.

Appearing on BBC Radio, she said, "Women do not run at that hour because it is too frightening. It is truly shocking. I do not know any woman who would go running at 2 a.m., especially not in a city."

According to recent data from the UK Office for National Statistics, half of women feel unsafe walking alone in the dark. The BBC reported that, as a result, many online reactions described the advertisement as absurd and unrelatable.

There have also been comments about the protagonist being Black. Sahra-Isha Muhammad-Jones, founder of a running club for Muslim women, said, "For a Black Muslim woman, it would be even less safe," and added, "This advertisement seems to depict something that would only happen in an ideal world."

In response, Samsung stated in a press release, "The 'Night Owls' campaign was designed with the positive message of celebrating individuality and the freedom to exercise at any time," adding, "There was absolutely no intention to disregard the ongoing discussions about women's safety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.