For Samsung, being a global leader meant having products that would be indisputably number one in their categories worldwide. Lee Kun-hee believed this was especially true for TVs. He recognized that no other product could imprint the company’s brand image as effectively as a TV, and argued that Samsung TVs should be positioned as premium, high-end products.

The opportunity arrived with the emergence of the digital era. In 1998, Samsung became the first in the world to mass produce digital TVs and concentrated all its efforts on them from the early 2000s.

Then in March 2006, Samsung unveiled its Bordeaux TV with a design inspired by a crystal wine glass. It instantly became a global hit, with success being attributed to the unique design concept and a new philosophy that TVs should be an integral part of a room’s décor. Bordeaux TV launched a whole new trend in the industry.

The Bordeaux series helped Samsung reach a remarkable milestone. With sales surpassing 3 million units in the first year of its release, Samsung was able to claim top spot in terms of global TV market share in 2006.

It took the company 34 years from the production of its first TV in 1972 to take the top spot as the world’s leading TV brand. And it has yet to relinquish the position since, retaining the global market leader position for nearly two decades. Today, Samsung is writing a new chapter in TV history that will define the next 50 to 100 years.