Pio Schunker – Samsung Mobile Brand Marketing Executive Shares His Vision
Pio Schunker, Senior Vice President of Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics, recently sat down for an interview about what he’s learned about Samsung since joining the company last year and what his plans are for the future. In addition to the highlights of that interview, which can be seen in the video above, Schunker also talked about how branding and marketing work at Samsung, and the kind of company that Samsung is at its core.
“The only way to succeed in building a true brand that lasts is to base it on something that is inherently true of the DNA of the company and the very behavior of that company,” said Schunker. “So what I looked at first was what Samsung believes in—which was this notion of engineering, technology, ingenuity, this ability to adapt so quickly to what was happening. That is inherently who Samsung is.”
Schunker joined Samsung early last year and was given two major goals: to turn Samsung into one of the world’s most-loved brands, and to create a singular brand identity that consumers all over the world could understand. With more than 20 years’ experience working on some of the biggest brand names in the world, Schunker said he is drawing on that background, but he also recognizes the unique nature of Samsung that sets the company apart.
One difference is the decentralized way Samsung’s branding works, emphasizing the relationships between regional offices and the company’s headquarters—rather than a top-down, command and control structure, Samsung relies on collaboration with regions to realize its vision. Schunker also noted how, despite being decentralized, Samsung operates extremely quickly—“at the speed of technology,” he said. “Once we nailed down the regions, we moved to execute with the speed that I think only a Samsung can execute at.”
Schunker said he found inspiration in learning about the company’s history and its foundational principles, and learning that “this company wasn’t just a tech company,” he said. “It had actually been created with the intent of being of benefit to its fellow human beings and to mankind. This notion of collective human progress was a crucial foundational element for the company’s creation and point of origination.”
Ultimately, he said, creating Samsung’s message is really about telling the company’s story, in vivid and compelling language that people can fully appreciate. “All I’ve done is taken what is inherently true of the company and made it manifest in a way that is emotionally relevant to today’s consumers,” Schunker added.
As for what is coming next in the process of redefining the brand, Schunker said his aim is nothing less than a long-term shift in how Samsung defines itself. It might take three to five years, but his goal is a long-term rethinking of who Samsung is. “This is a journey we’re on,” he said. “This is how big, bold brands are created and how big brands endure.”
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
