Innocean Collaborates with HYBE for Popup Store in Bangkok
NewJeans Ad Produced by Cheil Worldwide Surpasses 10 Million Views
As South Korea's largest entertainment agency HYBE and its subsidiary ADOR engage in a management rights dispute, the domestic advertising industry is drawing attention by simultaneously launching advertising campaigns featuring idol groups from both agencies.
According to the advertising industry on the 15th, an advertisement featuring NewJeans, a girl group under ADOR produced by Cheil Worldwide, a Samsung Group affiliate, recently surpassed 10 million cumulative views on YouTube. The advertisement promotes the 'Shinhan SOL Travel Check Card' and begins with NewJeans members searching for the sound of snoring.
A scene from the advertisement for the 'Shinhan SOL Travel Check Card' featuring the idol group NewJeans. [Photo by Cheil Worldwide]
The NewJeans members are initially disappointed when they see a travel card sleeping inside a desk drawer, but soon discover the Shinhan SOL Travel Check Card and express joy. The advertisement compares the sleeping card in the drawer with the Shinhan SOL Travel Check Card, delivering messages such as 'Free currency exchange all year round,' 'Shopping discounts all year round,' and 'Interest payments all year round.' Cheil Worldwide stated, "It was effective to imprint a positive image by connecting the excitement of travel with the Shinhan SOL Travel Check Card through the appearance of NewJeans members."
Hyundai Motor Group's advertising subsidiary Innocean has been operating a BTS-themed pop-up store in Bangkok, Thailand since the 10th. The pop-up store features ▲ group and individual artist portraits ▲ large objects with a monochrome (black and white) pop-up theme ▲ a DIY product experience space. Official monochrome-themed goods featuring member portraits such as photo cards, postcard books, canvases, and photos, as well as Bangkok-exclusive items like DIY keyrings, wind jackets, and ball caps, were showcased.
This BTS pop-up store is operated through a partnership between Innocean and HYBE. BTS is under HYBE, and all members are currently serving in the military. Given BTS's hiatus, the canvas photo booth displaying individual member portraits is reported to be the most popular attraction at the pop-up store.
Cheil Worldwide and Innocean, South Korea's leading comprehensive advertising agencies, have previously selected globally popular domestic idol groups such as BTS and NewJeans as advertising models. As K-pop has created a global sensation, the advertising effects of these idol stars have been substantial. Innocean also successfully held a pop-up store themed on the idol group SEVENTEEN in Bangkok last year. The pop-up store was operated for about three months at Siam Discovery, a famous shopping mall in Bangkok, covering an area of 130 pyeong (approximately 430 square meters), attracting 72,000 visitors during that period.
The attention on these companies' recent advertisements comes amid an intense management rights dispute between the agencies of these idol groups. HYBE and ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin are locked in a fierce battle over the management rights of ADOR, the agency of NewJeans. Last month on the 22nd, HYBE launched a surprise audit of ADOR's management, citing an 'attempt to seize management rights,' and filed a complaint against CEO Min and others on charges of breach of duty.
CEO Min immediately held a press conference, exposing allegations such as HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk and HYBE management 'copying NewJeans,' and launched a counterattack, with HYBE responding in kind, leading to ongoing disputes.
HYBE plans to hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on the 31st to propose a motion to dismiss CEO Min. However, the actual replacement is expected to depend on the outcome of a provisional injunction filed by CEO Min with the court to prohibit the exercise of voting rights. The injunction requests that HYBE, which holds 80% of ADOR's shares, be prevented from exercising voting rights on the dismissal motion at the extraordinary shareholders' meeting. The injunction hearing is scheduled for the 17th at the Seoul Central District Court.
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