[Book Sip] Launched 50 Brands... How Are Hit Brands Created?

Some sentences encapsulate the entire content of the book itself, while others instantly reach the reader's heart, creating a connection with the book. Here, we excerpt and introduce such meaningful sentences from the book. - Editor's note

This is a book by CEO Park Ji-hyun, a 'hitmaker' who has created over 50 brands in about nine years, starting with the Hanok street Ikseon-dong project in 2014. He shares his branding know-how, having transformed Ikseon-dong, which had only 10,000 annual visitors, into a 'hot place' attracting 2.74 million visitors in just one year. Among the 50-plus brands created by Ikseon Dadatrend Lab are 'Pungnyuga,' which created a new worldview; 'Paparamen,' which twisted common notions; 'Goniz,' which aggressively expanded imagination; 'Jesty Saloon,' which started from the belief that it's never too late; 'Dongbuk-a,' which was half a step ahead of the market; 'Hoetbul,' which created a new mise-en-sc?ne; 'Taeguksu,' which cut down lengthy explanations; 'Gaettunteun,' which conveyed sincerity; 'Text Calorie,' which induced customer behavior; 'Yeoldudal,' which preempted the previously empty ethical market; 'Manhwotgage,' which considered the validity of references; 'Pound,' which redefined the familiar; 'Nakwonjang,' which gathered people through ideas; and 'Oasis,' which focused on local stories. This book selects 14 of these brands and captures how creators work and think.

In our view, branding is by no means something only experts can do. We are neither branding nor marketing majors, nor have we ever experienced so-called 'business' before starting up. Although we are a creative group, we do not think it is necessary to view brands solely from a designer's perspective. We hope you won't be intimidated by its difficulty. One fact we discovered by starting and experiencing brands a little earlier than you is that all branding begins with 고민 (concern or contemplation). - p.8~9

Finding a space and building that you are 100% satisfied with while branding is very difficult. We think it is almost impossible. However, whether you see the characteristics of that place as a burden or as a differentiating point depends on the viewer's perspective. We decided to focus all our value on the bamboo and the small, old building that initially perplexed us. Then, the tall bamboo captured the visual senses, the rustling bamboo leaves stimulated auditory and tactile senses, and the strong tea scent permeating the old building engaged the olfactory sense. Since 'Pungnyuga,' we often see places using bamboo in Daejeon. If we have given someone insight, that alone makes us happy. We believe that under the pretext of creating a cool place, indiscriminate environmental destruction will decrease. There are many ways to express a space. We hope to find examples where hints from a space are interpreted into a completely new worldview in reverse. - p.34

Making choices ahead of others means accepting risks. But risk is not necessarily danger. Uncertainty also contains positive possibilities. Approach choices that can be opportunities and futures with your own method. The surest way not to become a copycat is to be courageous first. - p.107

Branding with too many things to care about from one to ten | Written by Park Ji-hyun | Text Calorie | 284 pages | 17,000 KRW