.jpg)
Campaign Overview
"That Song I Singed at Karaoke" is an emotional revival campaign by Gmarket, borrowing the sentiment of the iconic hit song by the band Cherry Filter. It connects the joy of shopping with the memories of everyone singing along at karaoke. By combining musical nostalgia with everyday shopping, it naturally encourages a behavioral shift: "Sing along now, and add it to your cart right away."
Key Insights
"Noraebang" is the collective memory repository of Koreans. The "national chorus," which is instantly sung after just the first verse, creates a low barrier to entry and a strong memory retention. The brand leverages this universal sentiment to instantly foster familiarity and likability.
Creative Concept
The concept centers on "lyric transformation." While maintaining the original song's energy and rhythm, the key words from the chorus and hook are repurposed into a shopping narrative. The visuals, inspired by actual karaoke performances (subtitles, remote control, echo, and screen effects), reinforce the "I am the star" experience. Humor is interspersed throughout the video to encourage repeat playback.
Music & Sound Strategy
The first three seconds of the intro capture the listener's attention with a riff reminiscent of the original song, and the syllable structure of the chorus reinforces the branding keyword. The call-and-response structure is designed to encourage viewers to subconsciously sing along. Karaoke-specific echo, applause, and tambourine SFX maximize the immersive experience. A short sonic logo is included at the end to capitalize on the experience.
The Meaning of Casting Cherry Filter
Cherry Filter is an artist who knows the art of singing, known for her explosive vocals and rock sound. Her iconic karaoke hit and commanding stage presence are so strong that even a single shoutout can capture attention. The brand leverages this energy to create the emotional association "Gmarket = a place to shop with excitement."
Execution Strategy (Media & Engagement)
We optimize reach and frequency by combining 15- and 30-second main features on TV/digital with 6- and 10-second short-form ads. For short-form content, we aim to expand UGC by implementing subtitled sing-along versions, while AR lyric stickers and duet features lower the barrier to participation. For offline content, we use OOH parodies of famous karaoke anime scenes and QR code integration to drive immediate purchases.
Participation Incentive Mechanism
The "Chorus Challenge" rewards users with coupons and stamps for singing along to a single verse of the hook. Game elements like lyric-filling challenges and high-note achievements increase dwell time, and collaborative creation (harmony and chorus ensemble) encourages reproductive success.
Why It Worked
By tapping into a common experience (karaoke), we removed the barrier to entry. The act of singing along itself becomes "participation," stimulating the desire to share. Furthermore, the straightforward energy of the rock genre complements the upbeat nature of shopping, transferring positive emotions to the brand. Brand and Creative Implications
Reinterpreting legacy hits is powerful, but prior coordination regarding copyright, arrangement rights, and lyric modifications is essential. Creating the hook, bridge, and outro as a modular unit and reconfiguring them for each medium increases efficiency. Achieve greater impact by combining bottom-up (UGC) and top-down (official creative) approaches, and fine-tune key messages for each generation to achieve cross-generational expansion.
Conclusion
"That Song I Singed at Karaoke" is a case study that transforms the collective memory of music into humor and engagement, connecting likability, engagement, and conversion in a single flow. It can be viewed as a sophisticated entertainment commerce campaign that leverages the power of familiarity as a brand asset.