Why Baemin Awarded Coupang Eats

'Baedal Minjok Parody Award' Gains Attention... Coupang Eats Also Among Winners

On the 29th, Baedal Minjok (Baemin)'s official Instagram account posted a card news titled "2021 Baedal Minjok Parody Awards." It selected six creative works that parodied Baemin throughout the year. Although this is an event likely held at the end of the year to communicate with customers, one notable point stands out. The list of awardees included Coupang Eats, a competitor. Why did Baemin give an award to its rival Coupang Eats?

The single-delivery competition between Baemin and Coupang Eats in the delivery app market has spilled over into the marketing arena. Baemin responded to Coupang Eats’ outdoor advertisement targeting Baemin by awarding the ad a "Parody Award," which has become a hot topic on social media.

The trigger was last month’s outdoor advertisement Coupang Eats put up at major subway stations in Seoul. The ad, which read "Dear Elegant OOO-gu residents, come to Coupang Eats," featured mint-colored text reminiscent of Baemin and even a person wearing a mint-colored helmet. Baemin viewed this as Coupang Eats, competing with Baemin’s single-delivery service "Baemin1," conducting a so-called "rival-targeting advertisement" alongside a large discount event.

In response, Baemin selected Coupang Eats as the recipient of the Parody Awards’ "Good Effort Award." Along with the award announcement, Baemin posted the phrase "Were we the same people all along?" Industry insiders praised Baemin’s witty approach of giving an award instead of a counter-advertisement against Coupang Eats’ ad.

Additionally, at the "Baedal Minjok Parody Awards," students from Uijeongbu High School who parodied Baemin’s character "Baedal-i" by taking graduation photos became a hot topic on social media and won the "I Could Be Baedal-i Award." A car owner who painted a McLaren supercar mint green and added the Baemin logo received the "Jealous Award." A user who performed the Baemin Tteokbokki Song dance on the metaverse platform Zepeto was given the "Tteokbokki Dance Beyond Expectations" award.

A Baemin official said, "As the Baemin app has grown into an app used by the entire nation, various parodies using symbols representing Baemin such as the character, font, and mint color have become a hot topic. This award was planned with the hope that many people would enjoy Baemin’s cultural elements more entertainingly through diverse parodies."