The G3's key brand dilemma: it's not an iPhone or Galaxy S. LG's US marketing chief tells CNET how that will change.
LG turned some heads on Tuesday with the debut of its eye-catching new G3.
But in this game, a good -- even great -- smartphone simply isn't enough.
It's the sad reality that unless you're Apple or Samsung, it is extremely tough to make a dent in the high-end smartphone market. That's especially true in the US, where consumers have largely coalesced behind the iPhone and Galaxy S juggernauts.
LG is the latest big-name company to attempt the feat, following other major players such as HTC and Sony. Having a successful smartphone is particularly important for LG, which sees mobile as a critical front in a multi-pronged war in the consumer electronics business, with battles as varied as refrigerators and televisions. Having long lived in the shadow of the similarly diverse Samsung, LG believes it has its chance in the spotlight with the G3.
To the first, a stronger campaign that spells out the benefits of its new smartphone would do much to raise the profile of LG, which is more recognizable as a manufacturer of flat-panel televisions.
"There's going to be aggressive marketing support around G3," said Chang Ma, the head of mobile marketing in the US, in an interview. He teased a "significantly larger" budget than in years past.
As for the second, it remains unclear whether the groundswell of support that LG says in place will help propel sales and crucial word-of-mouth buzz. The previous flagship smartphone,the G2, was a solid device, and it has built up a decent amount of goodwill with its Nexus 4 and Nexus 5smartphones, built in cooperation with Google. The curvy G Flex, while not a hot seller, at least demonstrated a willingness to innovate.
Globally, LG has made strides, tying with Huawei for third in global smartphone market share last year,
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