Two giants attack Xiaomi at the same time

Xiaomi accused of running ads to defame and degrade Apple and Samsung in India.

Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Photo: The Verge .

Apple and Samsung have just filed legal documents, accusing Xiaomi of making disparaging comparisons to rival products in the company's advertisements in India.

According to The Economic Times , the move from Apple and Samsung, the two companies that together account for 95% of the high-end smartphone market in India, is mainly aimed at protecting brand value.

“Xiaomi has received cease and desist notices from Apple and Samsung regarding certain advertisements, as they directly impact their brand value,” the source said. All three parties have not commented on the matter.

The legal moves from Apple and Samsung show fierce competition in the race for market share in India, the world's second-largest smartphone market.

Industry experts say Xiaomi’s advertising is a form of “ambush marketing,” using direct comparisons. In most cases, competing brands are undercut.

While these ads were once accepted to a certain extent, major brands today are very cautious to protect their brand equity.

“Companies are now more sensitive to such advertising. Brand equity is important because Apple and Samsung are big companies,” said brand strategy expert Harish Bijoor.

An ad directly compares the iPhone 16 Pro Max camera with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Photo: MacRumors .

Xiaomi previously ran print ads in March and April targeting the iPhone 16 Pro Max. One ad wished readers a “Happy April Fools’ Day” if they truly believed the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s camera quality was on par with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

The Chinese company directly compared the selling price and specifications between the iPhone and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. In March, the company also printed similar ads, emphasizing that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra had good camera specifications but a more affordable selling price.

Xiaomi also adopted a strategy of disparaging Samsung on social media, directly comparing it to its competitors. Apple and Samsung argued that this advertising tone went beyond the bounds of fair competition, portraying market leaders in a negative light.

Xiaomi's print ad compares the price and display of the Xiaomi Pad 7 with the iPad Pro. Photo: MacRumors .

According to market research firm IDC , Apple and Samsung account for about 95% of the premium smartphone market (priced above $567 ) in India, while Xiaomi accounts for less than 1%.

Experts say the Chinese company wants to "provoke" its big rival through direct comparative advertisements.

“These announcements are to ensure that competitors do not cause further damage. However, from Xiaomi’s perspective, they have reaped the rewards,” Bijoor stressed.

Not only smartphones, Xiaomi also targets Samsung LED TVs. Similar to Apple, Xiaomi hired a full-page ad, comparing the price and specifications of Xiaomi QLED product line with Samsung LED, emphasizing that customers can experience advanced TV technology at the same price as Samsung's old TVs.

Unlike smartphones, Xiaomi is competing fiercely with LG and Samsung in the TV segment. According to IDC , the Chinese company is among the top 3 largest TV manufacturers in India, closely following its two Korean rivals.

Despite legal documents from Apple and Samsung, experts say offensive advertising will continue in India because there are no specific regulations.

So far, companies have stopped short of issuing written requests to stop advertising. But if the situation escalates, they could seek compensation for damage to brand value, although that would be a lengthy process.

Source: https://znews.vn/apple-va-samsung-cung-chi-trich-xiaomi-post1581720.html