Samsung to spend Rs. 100 crore on S7 promotions

Korean company Samsung Electronics is set to intensify its promotions in India by spending a record sum on marketing and promotion for the new flagship Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge that will be unveiled next week.

According to sources, Samsung is likely to invest about Rs. 100 crore on marketing its latest smartphones, which will be launched in India on March 8 and go on sale from the third week of March at prices that could match Apple's iPhone 6s models.

It has asked the dealers to ensure maximum mileage for the Samsung brand on shop floors, senior industry executives said.

Samsung India has issued an advisory linking payments to dealers to the visibility of its branding on store fronts and inside.

Industry executives said Samsung may offer the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge at a cheaper rate than the Rs. 50,000-plus launch price for last year's flagship Galaxy S6.

The company is looking at a price of about Rs. 45,000 to compete with iPhone 6s that's selling at Rs. 44,000-45,000.

Samsung has advised the dealers that any discounting will entail strict disciplinary actions, including blacklisting, since it does not want a price war on the new models.