Maybe this scenario sounds familiar–you’re at an airport between flights and you’re desperate to power up your laptop and cellphone and maybe even your iPod. You search everywhere, drawing strange looks as you get down on all fours to look under the occupied chairs for a solitary unused outlet. Half the time you have to walk so far from your gate that you risk missing the next flight. And it makes you wonder if the people who design these buildings actually travel themselves. Why can’t there just be outlets where you need them?

Well the folks at Samsung picked up on this problem on 2007 and have subsequently installed “charging stations” in 5 heavily trafficked airports including LAX, JFK, DFW and most recently LaGuardia and Orlando. What a powerful idea!

According to Bill Ogle, Chief Marketing Officer of Samsung Mobile in a press release:

The Samsung Mobile Charging Stations are an easy way to reduce some of the stress that can come with traveling for business and vacation alike. The charging stations are easy to find and simple to use. We expect them to be as big a hit with travelers passing through these major cities.

Samsung found an unmet need, offering a genuine service to the frequent traveler. The stations are also quite relevant to the mobile products Samsung offers and certainly will make existing customers feel good about their brand. The medium is the message with the charging stations, showing not saying that Samsung will help you when you’re mobile. Samsung is definitely plugged into the idea of Marketing as Service.