[Power K-Women] Kim Yoon-kyung, Head of Ascent Korea, "Marketing and Femininity Share the Same Essence"

Marketing Expert with a Background in Computer Engineering
Emphasizing Customer-Centered 'Intent Marketing'
Telling Female Leaders "Be Grateful to Be Women"

Editor's NoteAsia Economy will select women who are active not only in Asia but around the world as 'Power K-Women' at the upcoming Women Leaders Forum to be held in October. We have chosen individuals who have overcome and broken down boundaries such as race, nationality, and disability as 'Power K-Women.' This is to widely promote the value of those who have not been intimidated by discrimination or confined by boundaries but have fought back, and to convey new values of leadership to youth and women. Their stories will provide comfort to a weary world, become role models for others, and give communities the strength to move forward again.
Date ｜ Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 9:00 AM ? 5:20 PM
Venue ｜ Crystal Ballroom, Lotte Hotel, Sogong-dong (2F)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Yeju] There were many twists and turns for a computer engineering graduate and young professional who once heard the phrase "It's unlucky to see a woman in the morning" to become an 'emotional digital marketing expert.' In a company where only 4 out of 140 colleagues were women, she grew by learning how to communicate with the majority rather than focusing on the unfairness toward the minority, even while running coffee errands daily. She concluded that ignorance about each other was the root of problems and realized the importance of 'understanding.'

Kim Yoon-kyung, Head of Marketing at Ascent Korea, developed her 'customer-centric' marketing secrets based entirely on such experiences. Since switching from a 17-year career as a developer to marketing, her sole focus has been the 'customer.'

Kim said, "I discovered the charm of marketing after reading the book 'Marketing 4.0' by Philip Kotler," adding, "The phrase 'Marketers are not people who sell products but messengers who spread the company's values and philosophy' made my heart race. It was the first time I thought that every company has problems to solve, and marketers are the ones who tell those stories."

She continued, "I was fortunate to study MBA marketing theories overseas, and after that, Johnson & Johnson contacted me saying they wanted to hire me as a marketing director. But when I actually started working, I felt a gap between theory and real marketing."

What disappointed Kim the most was that marketers did not focus on customers. She said, "Marketers did not see customers as human beings. They were focused solely on making customers spend more money more frequently, creating an environment that treated customers strictly as buyers. It was disappointing that they had no interest in what worries customers had or what they wanted."

Therefore, she decided to practice marketing that understands what customers want. Through this process, she realized the importance of data. Kim explained, "The CEO of Ascent Korea often said, 'We identify customer needs through search data,' and indeed, the search terms revealed what customers wanted." According to Kim, customers are more honest than anyone when searching. The entire population types what they want most into search bars. She added, "When analyzing SNS, the real concerns of customers were not there. The current company provides solutions and consulting, and seeing their focus on clients made me join without any hesitation." Ascent Korea has conducted projects for companies like Samsung Electronics and Expedia by mapping customer intent based on search data to the customer purchase journey.

Marketing that focuses on customer intent. Because of this, Kim calls her marketing 'Intent Marketing.' Once marketers understand customer intent, they empathize with the problem and find ways to solve it. Kim's goal is to spread intent marketing throughout society. She emphasized, "Marketers focus on customers and, through empathy and communication, ultimately create the worldview of the company. The goal is to align the world marketers dream of with the world customers dream of."

In this process, Kim sees marketing as similar to femininity. Both focus on the other party. "Women excel at empathy and consideration. Attention to detail is also one of the greatest merits women have. Women are superior beings (laughs). Perhaps that's why they face many trials?they can endure them."

Kim advises future women leaders to "be grateful for being women and love being women." She said, "There are still clear disadvantages to being a woman. But there are also definite strengths. Detailed communication, caring for others, and consideration will become core competencies. Maximize your strengths as a woman."

Profile of Head Kim Yoon-kyung

MBA in Corporate Strategy and Marketing, University of Michigan, USA
Master’s in Computer Engineering, specializing in Artificial Intelligence, Pohang University of Science and Technology
Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering, Ewha Womans University

(Current) Head of Marketing, Ascent Korea
(Former) Head of Marketing / Executive Director, BGF Retail CU
(Former) Head of Marketing Division / Executive Director, Lotte Shopping Lotte Mart
(Former) Director of Digital Innovation E-commerce, Johnson & Johnson North Asia
(Former) Manager of Overseas New Business Development, SK Telecom
Certified PCC by International Coaching Federation, KAC and KPC certifications by Korea Coach Association
Director of Korea Marketing Association
Partner at Big Bang Partners, PAG & Partners
Judge for Ministry of Gender Equality & Family & App Center Hackathons
Appointed Industry Trend Expert at Korea Trend Research Institute

Author of 8 books
(Publisher: From Books)
Co-author of 7 books including , , , , etc.