A Sales Assistant Holding Samsung Electronics' Galaxy 5 Smartphone And Apple Inc's iPhone 5 Smartphone Poses For Photographs At A Store In Seoul
A sales assistant holding Samsung Electronics' Galaxy 5 smartphone (L) and Apple Inc's iPhone 5 smartphone (R) poses for photographs at a store in Seoul July 16, 2014. Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji

Samsung has taken advantage of the philanthropic viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to market its phone. Its Samsung Galaxy S5 handset has taken the challenge and doused iced cold water onto itself before challenging rivals Apple’s iPhone 5S, HTC’s One M8 and Nokia’s Lumia 930.

The 15-second ad focuses on the Samsung smartphone as the Galaxy British S-Voice speaks about taking the challenge that has swept the world.

“I am the Samsung Galaxy S5. This is my Ice Bucket Challenge,” the voice says before the phone gets drenched in cold water. “Gosh that’s freezing. I nominate the iPhone 5S, the HTC One M8 and the Nokia Lumia 930.”

Of course, none of the three it mentioned are waterproof, unlike the S5.

“The Ice Bucket Challenge provided the perfect opportunity for the brand to do something that was meaningful but also unexpected,” Matt Pye, CCO of Cheil UK, which made the ad, said in a statement.

Samsung has been peddling the S5’s waterproof housing in response to iPhone’s features. Although there have been reports that a new iPhone will also be waterproof, consumers are yet to own such device.

The company said in a tweet that it would raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, though it has not disclosed how much.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is an activity that aims to promote the awareness of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease, also known as the Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The challenge involves a person pouring ice-cold water on their head and challenging others to do the same. The nominees have 24 hours to do the challenge or forfeit by making a donation to the research of the disease.

Many of the popular nominees opt to do both, pour the ice water on themselves and donate.

To date, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has raised over U$40 million in donations.

While it’s unlikely Apple, HTC and Nokia will do a similar stunt for their phones, their bosses have already joined in the trend.

Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella have participated in the challenge.