Dopamine-Boosting Short-Form, Pubaos' Harmlessness... Why Koreans Are Enthralled [Naesaram]

⑥‘Daehong Planning’ Team Leader Kang Seunghye
Belongs to Data Insight Team that interprets and argues data
Analyzing consumer psychology is important even for advertising companies

On the morning of the 3rd of last month, the final moments of the giant panda 'Fubao' in Korea were revealed at Everland Panda World in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, before returning to China. Photo by Joint Press Corps

"When an economic downturn hits, more consumers become addicted to stimulating consumption like YouTube Shorts or spicy Malatang. At the same time, consumers crave the warmth of a plush toy or the harmlessness of the panda 'Fubao' seen at the zoo. The structure is such that the more difficult the economy, the more consumption that can 'detox' the mind addicted to stimulation increases."

Kang Seung-hye, team leader of the Data Insight Team at the advertising agency Daehong Planning, recently analyzed the global sensation of the panda 'Fubao,' which has captured attention not only in South Korea but also in China and worldwide.

Daehong Planning, located in Jung-gu, Seoul, is an advertising agency affiliated with Lotte, employing 450 staff members. The in-house Data Insight Team analyzes consumer trends by integratively utilizing big data (social) and small data (surveys), proposing advertising and marketing strategies to clients based on insights derived from data. Although working at an advertising company, the core of their work is 'interpretation and reasoning.' For example, they analyze consumer psychology to understand why consumers are enthusiastic about Fubao and why they open their wallets for related merchandise.

On the 11th, we met Kang Seung-hye, Head of the Data Insight Team at Daehong Communications Headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Hye-won

Team leader Kang explained, "Our team uses data to verify trends that clients are curious about or to prove performance, and to depict the characteristics of advertising targets based on facts. We focus on how the market and people's lifestyles are changing." Having analyzed the market and consumers through various data, Kang enjoys reading the context behind data with a humanities sensibility, using observation, intuition, and data to reveal causality, influence, and patterns of phenomena. Recently, she collaborated with her team to publish a marketing book titled 'Generation Desire.'

Kang said, "When people think of 'data,' they often imagine engineers, technology, numbers, and statistics, but in an advertising company, analyzing data requires deep interest and analysis of people above all else. This is because we need to read people's thoughts, behaviors, ways of living, contexts, and histories of purchasing or spending money from data and incorporate them into marketing strategies." She described this process as "reading the expressions of data."

Malatang (left) and Tanghulu (right). Photo by Asia Economy DB

For example, the recent popularity of the phrase "dopamine explosion" online, the trend of enjoying spicy 'Malatang' or sweet 'Tanghulu,' the rise of 'short-form' videos, and the explosive desire for various character goods during the COVID-19 period can all be condensed into a single message that can be utilized as an advertising strategy.

Kang said, "Thanks to this chain of interest in people, objects, surrounding environments, and social phenomena, we can read the pattern of the 'stimulation addiction era.' Based on this, we explain to clients what the current trends are and propose advertising ideas accordingly." She added, "In an era of low growth and widespread uncertainty, effectively utilizing emotions like love, cuteness, and longing (nostalgia) is key to survival and growth."

Kang also offered trend advice relevant to the domestic food and beverage industry. She mentioned the strong 'zero' trend in the food and beverage sector, analyzing, "The popularity of these ingredient-controlled foods is closely related to increased sensitivity to health after the pandemic. Although the endemic has been declared, the mindset toward health management continues to influence people's eating habits and consumption as if it were a legacy left by the pandemic."