Samsung and LG might be multinational conglomerates with multibillion revenues, but not even companies of such size are above petty rivalry-- an LG executive stands accused of damaging Samsung washing machines in Berlin.
As Yonhap News Agency reports, ahead of IFA 2014 a LG exec was spotted breaking the doors of not one, not two but four Samsung Crystal Blue washing machines (model WW9000, fact fans) at the Saturn Berlin Europa-Centre.
The exec obviously denies the accusations, but CCTV footage cements the case against him following questioning by German police. On its part, LG chalks up the his actions to... "research."
"The executive was only checking Samsung's washing machines as their doors were shaking when the shop clerks accused him of damaging the products," an LG statement reads. "It is just one of those common incidents that occur ahead of electronics shows." The statement adds "a certain company's washing-machine model was particularly weak on the hinges." Hmm, we wonder at whom that particular dig was directed at?
In turn, Samsung demands S. Korean prosectors to take on the case-- particularly as it also has CCTV footage of LG employees allegedly vandalizing Samsung products at another Saturn outlet, this time at Berlin Steglitz.
"Despite our best efforts to avoid further confrontation and escalation of the situation, the company in question has tarnished not only Samsung's brand image but also the reputation of Samsung employees by making slanderous claims that our washing machines were defective," the company adds.
As we all know, the Samsung-LG rivalry has been going on for years, and currently the two companies are going through a CE race worthy of the Wacky Races. Near-identical announcements from the two have emerged on the same day, if not hour, with claims on the first huge OLED TV, curved OLED TV, curved smartphone or smartwatch.
Oh, and this is not even the first time the rivalry took to S. Korean courts-- on September 2012 LG sued Samsung for advertisements it accused to being damaging to its brand.
