LG Display is targeting Americans as it tries to boost OLED TV sales in the wake of its CEO’s decision to resign.
The company said today it’s embarking on an “OLED TV Tour” that aims to “showcase how cutting-edge OLED technology enhances the consumer TV-watching experience” to potential customers in the U.S. The tour will stop at numerous select Best Buy stores throughout the country as it runs from now until February next year, giving consumers there the chance to see the merits of OLED up close.
The tour’s slogan is “Experience the Unexpected”, and will see LG take to the road in two big rig 18-wheelers loaded up with its latest OLED TVs. One truck will drive down the East Coast and mid-northern states, while the other will cover the West Coast and mid-southern states.
LG said the 6,000 mile tour is equivalent to driving a quarter of the way around the world, and will give the company a golden opportunity to educate Americans about the merits of OLED. The company says these benefits include numerous form factors, authentic emissive colours, a “thinovative” design and being easy on the eyes.
The tour will also take in stops at the Los Angeles Comic Con in October and Art Basel in America at Miami Beach in December. LG Display said both events represent great opportunities to showcase OLED’s stunning “artistic-level presentation in terms of picture quality and form factor.”
As part of the tour, LG Display will also provide customers in attendance a certificate that can be redeemed for a gift card worth 10% of the purchase price of a LG Electronics or Sony OLED TV, up to $250 at Best Buy stores until February 28, 2020. Also, by entering a sweepstakes or participating in an interview at the truck, visitors have the opportunity to win an OLED TV.
The idea of the tour is to try and raise awareness about OLED TVs in a country that has largely failed to embrace the technology so far. In the U.S., sales of OLED TVs lag far behind other regions such as Europe, which tend to be more willing to adopt newer technologies.
LG Display’s American truck tour comes on the same day as it announced that its incumbent Chief Executive Officer Han Sang-beom has resigned from the company, due to falling profits that were partly blamed on lower than expected OLED TV sales.
The company has also struggled in the LCD TV market due to intense competition from Chinese manufacturers, and its response has been to ramp up OLED panel production instead. It's a sensible move as LG has a clear advantage in that it's the only TV display manufacturer at present that's able to build large OLED panels for TVs. But the strategy will only work if it can generate more interest in OLED than there is at present.
The plan isn't without risk either, as LG’s main rival Samsung Display is said to be looking to re-enter the OLED TV market in the coming months.
