Issa Rae encourages you to “Keep making until you make it” in the latest ad for Samsung Galaxy Note 9.
The 30-second spot, directed by Lacey Duke, tells the story of the comedian’s career evolution, which started seven years ago, when she first uploaded on YouTube her comedy web series, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl”. As the series gained thousands of views, Issa was contacted by a talent agency and given the news that would change her life, namely that the series would be turned into a TV show (“Insecure”, which streams on HBO). She is then seen going over the script on her Samsung Galaxy Note 9, signing contracts with the S Pen, appearing on cover magazines (Ebony and Marie Claire), as a guest in TV programmes and finally sitting in a director’s chair.
Serving as the perfect soundtrack is a song that also delivers an empowering message “Keep on moving on”.
The commercial, part of Samsung’s “Do What You Can’t” campaign, aired during the 2018 Emmy Awards on Monday night, when Rae was among the nominees for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. This award went to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan.
Earlier this summer, on August 9, Issa Rae attended a party held by the global telecomunication brand in celebration of the launch of its new flagship smartphone. The block party took place at the Samsung 837 in New York City’s Meatpacking District and gave the attendees the chance to be some of the first to experience the new mobile device. Fortnite streaming legend Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, FUBU founder and co-star of ABC’s Emmy Award-winning Shark Tank, Daymond John, YouTuber Casey Neistat, award-winning journalist and former editor in chief of Teen Vogue Elaine Welteroth, Olympian and activist Gus Kenworthy, and acclaimed radio personality and podcast host Guy Raz were among the attendees. While Grammy-nominated artist Logic hit the stage for a four-song performance on August 9, Janelle Monáe celebrated the Galaxy Note9 launch at the Samsung 837, with an exclusive show on August 24, for the retail release of the Galaxy Note 9.
