LONDON — Samsung has hired Iris Culture for a newly-created agency role that focuses on consumer PR support across 17 European markets.

Iris, which secures the brief following a competitive review, reports to European director of communications Winston Eavis. The UK PR firm will aim to forge stronger links with popular culture, as Samsung attempts to elevate its brand by focusing on youth influencers.

"Breaking down barriers and creating ‘firsts’ is important to us and in iris we see the same ambition," said Eavis. "We are well versed in communicating our products to a mass audience through our product launches but increasingly we need to look at activity that really engages our younger buyers. This is where Iris comes in."

The brief covers all of Samsung's product cateogires and also aims to integrate with the company's social and digital channels. The agency's first campaign for the brand sees Samsung working with electro-pop trio Years & Years, previewing its European tour in a live interactive VR performance using the new Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and Gear VR.

Samsung currently works with a number of PR firms in the UK, including Edelman, Taylor Herring and Red Consultancy.