Hello, this is Korea advertising.
1. Advertisement Overview: Concept of ‘Initiation Video’
This advertisement by Haitai Ice targets the younger generation with the trendy concept of ‘initiation video’. ‘Initiation’ refers to the phenomenon of becoming passionately obsessed with celebrities, characters, or brands, and this advertisement encourages consumers to ‘initiate’ Pollapo and Baek Ji-heon. It can be said that this is an advertisement strategy that goes beyond simple product promotion and creates a fan culture.
The advertisement simultaneously emphasizes the appeal of the product ‘Pollapo’ and the model ‘Baek Ji-heon (member of Fromis_9)’. The repeated insertion of “♥️Pollapo ♥️ Baek Ji-heon” in the advertisement title is a device that visually expresses the emotions and excitement unique to ‘fandom’.
2. Introduction of the main characters: Baek Ji-heon and Ice Guy
This advertisement has two main characters. The first is Baek Ji-heon, the youngest member of the girl group ‘Fromis_9’, which is very popular among the MZ generation, and the second is the fictional character ‘Ice Guy’. Baek Ji-heon is a character with a pure and refreshing image that goes well with the taste of Pollapo, and her smile and eyes emotionally convey the 'coolness' of the product throughout the advertisement.
On the other hand, 'Ice Guy' is a virtual character that serves as the mascot of Haitai Ice, and adds a comical element to the advertisement with its cute and cheerful image. Through interaction with Baek Ji-heon, viewers can feel both fun and empathy, and it approaches viewers with a 'drama-like story' rather than a simple product advertisement.
3. Advertisement composition and directing style
This video is composed in a short clip format and uses directing techniques similar to K-POP content overall. The camera work, lighting, cut editing, and even background music all have a style similar to a fan video (bias cut) or 'music video'.
Baek Ji-heon appears in the beginning holding the product and captures attention, and then the comical chemistry with Ice Guy continues, and the storytelling flows naturally. This composition gives viewers the impression that they are watching ‘fun video content’ rather than ‘a product advertisement.’
Music is also an important element that brings the atmosphere of the advertisement to life. The cool background music, Baek Ji-heon’s cute lines, and sound effects create harmony to increase viewer immersion.
4. Brand image and product delivery
The advertisement is centered around ‘Pollapo,’ one of Haitai’s representative ice products. Pollapo is an ice cream that every Korean has tried at least once when they were young, and it is a product that stimulates nostalgia and memories. This advertisement plays a role in re-imprinting the brand by connecting this ‘retro sensibility’ with the new generation.
By using Baek Ji-heon, a new generation idol, as a model, the brand’s target audience is expanding to those in their teens and twenties, and it is successfully appealing to the MZ generation beyond the existing image of a ‘children’s snack.’
In addition, the product’s coolness, refreshing taste, and convenience are naturally conveyed through the model’s actions, facial expressions, and short lines. This is a way to effectively convey product characteristics and brand messages without exaggeration.
5. Consumer Response and Marketing Effect
This advertisement received a lot of positive responses as it spread mainly through digital platforms such as SNS and YouTube. In particular, the 'Baek Ji-heon fancam' style filming technique was enough to attract the attention of fans, and despite being an advertisement, it was successfully consumed as 'short content'.
There were many positive responses in the comments such as "I'm going to buy a Pollapo because of Ji-heon", "It's an advertisement, but I keep watching it", and "Ice Guy is so cute", which soon led to an increase in brand favorability and actual purchases.
In addition, as fans began capturing and sharing this advertisement like a 'pictorial', the online presence of the Haitai brand itself greatly increased.
Conclusion: A successful case that captured both emotion and trends
[Haitai Ice's introduction video] is a good example of an 'advertisement consumed as content itself' that goes beyond product promotion. Rather than simply introducing a product, the model's charm, emotional directing, humorous composition, and a brand story that stimulates memories were appropriately combined to successfully induce 'entrance'.
Through this advertisement, Haitai received attention for its strategy of reinterpreting retro-feeling products for the MZ generation, and this can be an important point in future brand marketing.