Dive Brief: 

• Korean electronics brand Samsung confirmed Friday that its mobile CMO Todd Pendleton is leaving the company. 
• Pendleton was behind the team that put together the "Next Big Thing" campaign, which is credited by many to have spurred the rise in Samsung's place in smartphone sales and its clear competition with Apple. 
• After Apple's introduction of larger-screened iPhones, Samsung dipped a bit in smartphone influence. The CMO's departure comes before the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S6 phone on April 10. 

Dive Insight: 

Samsung has made big strides under Pendleton's direction, and to outsiders, his departure may seem like a bit of a surprise. The company has said little about the move, so it's unclear whether it had anything to do with his performance—or if Pendleton is leaving for other reasons.