Samsung has launched an advertising blitz to raise consumer awareness around its 2013 washing machine recall with the aim of rounding up the 83,000 potential fire hazards still in homes around Australia.
The campaign began on Saturday (30 May) and comes after Fire and Rescue NSW responded to the 18th house fire caused by a recalled Samsung washing machine in the last year. Since the 2013 recall, there have been 180 confirmed incidents involving the impacted models, including over-heating, smoking or catching fire.
Since the recall was initiated, Samsung can confirm that 60,765 affected models have been serviced or replaced. There are 83,686 washing machines that are yet to be serviced or replaced of the 144,451 that were recalled.
The campaign includes print advertisements in metropolitan newspapers, radio advertisements across metropolitan and regional stations, digital display advertising on news websites and a renewed social media and search engine marketing approach. It will also feature advertising across online auction houses (eBay and Gumtree) to limit the resale of affected models.
Please RT: Check if you have a Samsung Top Loader Washing Machine recalled in 2013 at http://t.co/fiLC2ihmUP pic.twitter.com/0M0QkvW50Y
— Samsung Australia (@SamsungAU) May 29, 2015
The message surrounding the campaign is a straightforward one: check the back of your Samsung top loader washing machine to see if it is affected by the product safety recall.
Phil Newton vice president Consumer Electronics at Samsung said that the safety of the owners or users of these washing machines is Samsung’s first priority and that this further campaign is critical in communicating the importance of the recall to customers.
“We are deeply concerned that two years on, un-reworked models are still in use. Samsung is calling on the Australian public to help spread the word about the recall to help ensure that other Australians remain safe and well. Firstly, check your own Samsung top loader machine, but then check the machines of your friends, family and anyone else who could own Samsung top loader washing machines,” he said.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Rod Stowe said that Fair Trading supported Samsung’s efforts to further publicise the voluntary safety recall.
“Since the recall started, nearly 24,000 potentially affected models in NSW have been serviced or replaced. But there are still over 30,000 models in NSW yet to be serviced and we urge consumers with Samsung washing machines to check the model number of their appliance and contact Samsung if it’s one of the six affected by the national recall,” he said.
Samsung urges consumers who may be impacted by the recall to visit its dedicated website www.samsung.com/au/washingmachinerecall or call its dedicated customer service line Toll-Free product safety hotline on 1800 239 655.
Samsung top loader washing machines in the following six models are being recalled for immediate repair:
SW75V9WIP/XSA
SW65V9WIP/XSA
SW70SPWIP/XSA
SW80SPWIP/XSA
WA85GWGIP/XSA
WA85GWWIP/XSA