An Apple Store employee became an unlikely internet sensation after his business card went viral on Reddit. Sam Sung, as he was initially referred to, has now officially changed his name to escape the obvious online joke and confusion. The person is now called Sam Struan.
The saga began in 2012 when a picture of his official Apple business card was posted on Reddit, causing a frenzy. The humour revolved around his name – Sam Sung works for Apple. This was especially in an era when the Korean tech brand Samsung was rising as one of Apple’s biggest rivals in the smartphone space.
At the time, Sung was working at an Apple Store in Vancouver, British Columbia. The post quickly exploded across the internet, flooding the store with inquiries and phone calls asking if the employee was real.
Sam Sung had to change his name after his virality
The incident had caused issues for Sam Sung. According to Struan, the company pulled him off the shop floor and revoked access to his business cards, as the store struggled to manage the sudden influx of attention. The experience, though brief, was described by Struan as an “unpleasant few months” where he was “scared” and stressed about his job security.
In 2013, Sung left the Apple Store, but the name continued to follow him. The following year, he decided to capitalise on the momentary fame for good, auctioning off the controversial business card and parts of his uniform for charity. The card sold for over $2,500, with proceeds going to the Children’s Wish Foundation.
However, the difficulties of sharing a name with a major global corporation, particularly in trying to build his own professional brand as a consultant and resume writer, prompted a permanent change. Struan noted that all desirable online handles were already taken, and he didn’t want to be forever known as an internet punchline.
Why Sam Sung chose Sam Struan?
After careful consideration, he chose the last name Struan, drawn from a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, which is one of his favourite places.
While Sam Struan has spent the last 10 years running his recruitment agency, the momentary fame will forever be a part of his legacy. We wonder if Samsung, back then, had chosen the opportunity to pitch Sam Sung as one of the salespersons in the nearest Samsung stores. Maybe things could have been different from Struan.
