The 'Mr. Trot' Model Effect Reviving Small and Medium Enterprises

'Yeongtak Makgeolli' with Yeongtak as Model, Sales Increase 10x
Cheongho Nice Using Lim Young-woong as Model, Water Purifier Sales Up 20%

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The popularity of the audition program ‘Mr. Trot’ continues even after its finale, and small and medium-sized enterprises using the show's contestants as models are also gaining popularity.

Yecheon Brewery announced that sales of ‘Youngtak Makgeolli,’ released on the 14th, increased tenfold after using Youngtak, a singer who appeared on Mr. Trot, as its model.

Youngtak Makgeolli is a patented product named by combining the name of Yecheon Brewery CEO Baek Guyoung and ‘takju,’ which means makgeolli. Coincidentally, as the performances of the singer Youngtak with the same name became a hot topic through broadcasts, Yecheon Brewery signed an exclusive model contract with Youngtak on the 1st of last month.

Since its release, Youngtak Makgeolli has been supplied through 33 dealerships nationwide. Daily orders reach 1,000 boxes. A Yecheon Brewery official said, “Daily sales, which used to be 1.5 million won, increased to 15 million won after the launch of Youngtak Makgeolli.”

The popularity of Lim Youngwoong, who won the Mr. Trot championship, is also strong. The TV commercial for Cheongho Nice featuring Lim Youngwoong as a model is also a hot topic. Lim Youngwoong, appearing as the model for the ‘Cheongho Sterilized Ice Water Purifier Senita,’ sang the CM song himself. Cheongho Nice’s decision to select Lim Youngwoong as an advertising model was mainly due to his great popularity among middle-aged women, the primary consumer group for home appliances. Lim Youngwoong was known to have a solid middle-aged fan base even before appearing on Mr. Trot.

After Lim Youngwoong was selected as the advertising model, Cheongho Nice’s water purifier sales in April increased by more than 20% compared to the previous year. The video of Lim Youngwoong’s ‘I Will Protect You’ posted by Cheongho Nice on YouTube surpassed 190,000 views within two days of its release.

A Cheongho Nice official said, “Starting with the TV commercial and coinciding with the upcoming peak season for water purifiers in summer, we expect the ‘Lim Youngwoong effect’ to be even more pronounced.”