Czech vampire selfie spot featuring Prague after dark goes viral

A new Czech advertising video for a Samsung phone has gone viral on YouTube. “Nightography” from Czech director Matyáš Fára, is a ninety-four-second parody of a vampire film, shot using the Galaxy S22 phone’s night photography features.

The film “Nightography” shows a lonely vampire using the phone’s night camera settings to take pictures and videos of himself, which he can share on social media to find friends and possibly love.

The ad is aimed at reaching the Gen-Z market, a group that companies have been having a hard time reaching. According to Samsung, Gen Z members understand the concept of authentic self-expression and proudly celebrate it.

The production agency behind the spot, Prague-based Bad Apple Collective, told website Shots.Net that the intention was to capture the generational mindset. Ryan Shaw, global director for Bad Apple Collective, added that the team’s creative idea put the product in the center of the story while also connecting to what makes this audience special.

“Matyaš’ perspective as a young and successful director brought the story to life in a fun, authentic way, because connecting with Gen Z audiences takes much more than ‘being cool,’” Shaw said.

The Galaxy S22 smartphone has a sensor configuration that allows for sharp pictures under poor lighting conditions. The plot is centered around a vampire roaming around Prague and the city's nightclubs, emphasizing the low amount of light. The ad was shot using the phone.

Martin Marek, director of corporate marketing at Samsung Electronics Czech and Slovak, said on the Samsung Magazine website that Fára is a promising young commercial director who combines current visual storytelling techniques in his work. “He has had commercials for brands such as Škoda, Pilsner Urquell, Puma, Vodafone, Jägermeister, etc. … We chose him for the spot because of the way he combines visual details with film narration and new technologies,” Marek said.

While most videos on Samsung Česko a Slovensko’s YouTube channel have hundreds or a few thousand views, “Nightography” has racked up over 163,500 views since its release on June 8.