The governor of the Black Sea province of Samsun has voiced his uneasiness about the prominence of South Korean technology giant Samsung in internet searches, complaining that the brand is overshadowing the province in northern Turkey.
“People say that when they search for Samsun online, Samsung appears ... I also experience the same. Samsung is a world brand, but it should not come ahead of Samsun,” Governor Osman Kaymak told reporters on Dec. 3 during an event promoting the province.
A project dubbed “LikeSamsun” was recently launched, aiming to improve promotion of the province and boost the sharing of pictures of the Black Sea province on social media. As a part of the efforts, the “LikeSamsun” hashtag was created on social media and a dedicated website was opened.
“I want those who love Samsun and those who are struggling for Samsun’s future to support this project. The more this website is promoted, the more photos will be uploaded and the more people will share them, launching a great move for Samsun,” Kaymak said.
Also speaking at the event, Middle Black Sea Development Agency (OKA) Secretary General Mevlüt Özen said the agency will organize photography contests every three months to help promote the province.
With over half a million population, Samsun is one of the biggest cities in the region and also the place where the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, began the War of Independence in 1919.
Samsung, meanwhile is a multinational conglomerate with many notable industrial affliates including Samsung Electronics, the world’s second largest information technology company.