Image from: Samsung Galaxy SIII / XDA-Developers.com

Consumer attitudes have been changed quite a bit since the iPhone first redefined the meaning of “smartphone”. In today’s world the iPhone is hardly the only cutting edge option for the tech-savvy and design-conscious consumer, and choices are getting more abundant. In a recent Compete survey of wireless shoppers 1 in 4 iPhone buyers cited familiarity, not the coolness factor or the best technology, as the main reason they bought their new iPhone.

Much has been written about the ongoing feud between Apple and Samsung for the hearts and minds of consumers (and a few patents along the way). Samsung has mounted an impressive advertising campaign “The Next Big Thing is Already Here” featuring Apple-diehards waiting in line. And both consumers and tech gurus are taking notice: Fierce Wireless listed it among the best wireless ads of 2012 while Apple and Samsung fans engaged in a mini-internet battle. But barbs aside, the ultimate question remains: did it work? Did those snappy (or snarky) ads manage to sway consumers towards GS3 vs. the iPhone?

According to the Compete data the answer is “yes”: shoppers who viewed a Samsung Galaxy SIII video commercial on YouTube were on average 10x more likely to view a Galaxy SIII product page on a Big-4 carrier website compared to shoppers not exposed to the commercials.

What’s more important is that wireless shoppers who viewed the video(s) were less likely to cross-shop the iPhone: in September, only 21% of wireless shoppers viewed a GSIII commercial also looked at the iPhone compared to 36% of wireless shoppers who did not.

As the battle goes on, Samsung continues to find creative ways to differentiate themselves from the competition (anyone wants a free song? A free e-book?); and we at Compete will keep a close eye on the impact those new developments have. Stay tuned!