A former Apple employee who inadvertently went viral due to his name has revealed he changed it to avoid becoming an internet joke. Sam Sung, now known as Sam Struan, worked for the tech giant in Glasgow before moving to Canada, where a customer shared his business card online in 2012, sparking widespread amusement over its similarity to rival brand Samsung.
The 36-year-old Scot, who now works as a recruitment consultant, said he adopted the surname Struan after a village on the Isle of Skye, one of his favourite places. He explained that the sudden fame left him terrified for his employment prospects and prompted the change. 'I left Apple in 2013. I was ready to move on from retail and start a new career in recruitment. I hadn't considered adopting a new name before I went viral, but that moment changed everything,' he told Business Insider.
Struan recalled the moment he realised he had become an internet sensation. 'I was working at my other part-time job, and my phone started ringing like crazy. I thought a family member had died. I peeked and saw a text from someone saying I'd gone viral on Reddit.' He added that customers would call asking for Sam Sung, but he pretended not to be that person due to his Scottish accent.
Despite selling his original business card on eBay for charity, Struan now regrets his anxiety. 'I wish I'd just chilled out a bit about it and been less worried about job security and potential work opportunities, and enjoyed it for what it was.' He noted that studies show a name can influence career opportunities, but he has no data on whether his change helped. 'No one really recognises me, and that's exactly how I want it,' he concluded.
