[W Forum] 'Social Distancing' and Untact Marketing

Amid the global spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), "social distancing" is in full effect. Normally, classrooms and campuses would be bustling and lively with students around this time of year, but due to remote lectures and the requirement of prior approval to enter buildings, the atmosphere is quiet. Various events and gatherings have been postponed or canceled, and with unnecessary outings reduced, people are spending more time alone.

As situations requiring avoidance of social contact continue, untact marketing is gaining renewed attention. The term "untact" is a combination of the prefix "un," meaning "not," and "tact," derived from "contact," meaning "to touch." In other words, "untact" means "no contact," and untact marketing refers to marketing that provides products or services in a non-face-to-face manner, minimizing contact with others. In 2018, the Consumer Trend Analysis Center at Seoul National University selected it as one of the keywords among the "Top 10 Consumption Trends," attracting significant interest.

Untact marketing has grown primarily among single-person households and younger generations with strong individualistic tendencies and self-centered consumption. In recent years, consumption behaviors of so-called "soloists," such as eating alone (honbap), drinking alone (honsul), traveling alone (honhaeng), and playing alone (honnol), have been accepted as natural phenomena. Of course, some situations necessitate being alone, but many choose solitude voluntarily to enjoy their own time without worrying about others.

Along with the desire to avoid unnecessary face-to-face contact and not to be interfered with by others, untact marketing, which satisfies speed and convenience, is closely related to technological advancements. Mobile-centered online infrastructure and technologies such as artificial intelligence go beyond purchasing needed products or conducting banking transactions with a few clicks; they provide personalized recommendations reflecting individual preferences, immediate customer service and information through chatbots, and vivid indirect experiences of products or services via virtual reality (VR) shopping, compensating for the lack of face-to-face contact. Even in offline stores, customers can use linked mobile apps, kiosks, and self-checkout counters to search, order, and purchase products independently without interacting with staff.

Although not a new concept, untact marketing is attracting much attention now that social distancing is not a choice but a necessity. The steadily growing domestic untact marketing has demonstrated its value in times of crisis by providing generally stable services despite the surge in demand for non-face-to-face consumption. In fact, as demand for untact marketing increases, efforts are underway to identify and address its shortcomings and further develop it as an opportunity arising from the current crisis.

One concern regarding untact marketing is consumers who cannot use online services or unmanned services in offline stores due to a lack of understanding of technology. For example, elderly consumers may experience difficulties and inconveniences when using mobile apps or store kiosks. Also, since non-face-to-face services cannot replace all face-to-face services, focusing solely on untact marketing may lead to decreased consumer satisfaction. When difficult consultation services are provided non-face-to-face, consumers may have trouble understanding or may not trust the service, and they may miss out on parts of the consumption experience that provide emotional satisfaction, such as visiting regular stores and having conversations.

Purchasing and consumption hold not only practical value but also emotional value. Although people usually prefer and frequently use untact services, as the period of having to choose only non-face-to-face services lengthens, they miss face-to-face services. We look forward to the day when marketing that narrows social distance, rather than maintaining it, will be welcomed.

Choi Se-jung, Professor, Department of Media and Graduate School, Korea University