For the time being, the K-pop industry significantly influences brand sales and social response. K-pop significantly influences brands, both within the Korean entertainment industry and internationally. K-pop is a highly visual and aesthetic-driven industry emphasizing fashion, beauty, and style. As a result, many brands, especially those in the fashion and beauty industries, have collaborated with K-pop groups and idols to promote their products. Particularly among its passionate and dedicated fanbase, commonly known as “K-pop stans.” K-pop stans are known for their emotional support of their favorite idols, which often translates into increased engagement and sales for the brands that partner with these idols.
One way that K-pop idols influence brand sales is through product endorsements. Many K-pop idols are chosen to be brand ambassadors for various companies, such as cosmetics, clothing, and technology brands. For example, Dior Beauty x Blackpink’s Jisoo, Samsung’s partnership with BTS. These endorsements can increase brand exposure and boost sales, especially in the Asian market.
K-pop idols and the Cosmetics Industry
Dior Beauty x Blackpink’s Jisoo
Dior Beauty is a luxury beauty brand that offers a wide range of products, including makeup, skincare, and fragrance. Kim Ji-soo, known as Jisoo, is a South Korean singer and actress who is known for her beauty and style. She also debuted as a member of the girl group Blackpink, formed by YG Entertainment.
In 2021, Jisoo became a global ambassador for Dior Beauty. As part of this collaboration, she has appeared in several campaigns for the brand, including the launch of the Dior Addict Stellar Halo Shine lipstick collection.
In January 2023, Dior Beauty announced on Instagram that they had released a special of their Lip Glow Color Revival Blam to ring in a brand new year for the 28-year-old brand ambassador, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo. The shade is called 031 Strawberry for Jisoo’s birthday on January 3.
When Dior announced it on social media, everyone was very interested, whether it was a fan club or the general public or who regularly used Dior products. However, when this product was placed on the counter and online website on the first day, this product sold out very quickly. People need a lot of goods because the shade 031 Strawberry is limited color and a shade created in honor of Jisoo’s birthday.
Followers: 4.2M
Followers: 49.4K
Instagram Followers: 118K
Overall, the collaboration between Dior Beauty and Jisoo has been a successful partnership. It has helped showcase the brand’s products to a broader audience while highlighting Jisoo’s beauty and style.
K-pop idols and the clothing industry
Fila x BTS Collaboration
Fila is a sportswear brand and BTS is a popular South Korean boy band. In 2019, Fila announced that BTS would be their global brand ambassador, representing the brand in various advertising and promotional campaigns.
As part of the collaboration, BTS has appeared in Fila’s advertising campaigns and has also released their limited edition Fila merchandise which calls the “Voyager Collection.” Less than a day after the launch, the entire drop had already sold, and this collection sold out in only 24 hours. The partnership has successfully brought together two strong brands, with Fila benefiting from the massive popularity of BTS, and BTS gaining further exposure and brand recognition through its association with Fila.
Overall, the collaboration between Fila and BTS has been a mutually beneficial partnership, allowing both brands to expand their reach and appeal to a broader audience.
K-pop idols and the technology industry
Samsung’s partnership with BTS
Samsung, the South Korean multinational conglomerate, has collaborated with the popular South Korean boy band BTS as its global brand ambassador since 2018. The partnership between Samsung and BTS has been focused on promoting Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, wearable devices, and other electronics.
BTS has appeared in Samsung’s advertisements, promotions, and events in South Korea and globally as part of their collaboration. In addition, the group has also participated in Samsung’s product launches and marketing campaigns, including the Galaxy S20 smartphone and the Galaxy Buds wireless earbuds.
Samsung’s partnership with BTS has been mutually beneficial. The collaboration with BTS has helped Samsung to expand its brand reach, particularly among younger consumers, and increase its market share in the global smartphone market. At the same time, the collaboration has helped BTS to grow their global influence and popularity further.
Overall, the Samsung and BTS collaboration has been a successful example of brand ambassadorship, leveraging the influence and popularity of a celebrity group to promote a company’s products and services.
Luxury Brand Collaborations with K-Pop Idols
Luxury brand collaborations with K-Pop idols have become increasingly popular in recent years. The global popularity of K-Pop, combined with the growing interest in luxury brands in Asia, has made these collaborations a lucrative marketing strategy for both parties. Furthermore, with Instagram being the most popular platform to advertise these connections, influencer marketing has become increasingly essential for domestic and luxury brands to succeed.
Some of the most notable luxury brand collaborations with K-Pop idols include:
BTS x Louis Vuitton
In 2021, Louis Vuitton announced a collaboration with the global superstars BTS. The partnership included a range of clothing, accessories, and even a special-edition Louis Vuitton Tambour Horizon smartwatch.
Lisa ✕ CELINE
Lisa is a famous South Korean singer, rapper, and dancer who is a member of the K-pop girl group BLACKPINK. In September 2020, she was announced as a brand ambassador for the luxury fashion brand Celine. Since then, Lisa has been featured in Celine’s advertising campaigns and wearing the brand’s clothing and accessories at various public events. As a brand ambassador, Lisa helps to promote the brand and its products to her fans and followers, and her association with the brand can help to increase its visibility and appeal among a wider audience.
G-Dragon x Chanel
K-Pop icon G-Dragon has a long-standing relationship with Chanel, having collaborated with the brand on various projects since 2013. In 2019, he was named Chanel’s first-ever Korean ambassador.
These collaborations have proven successful in promoting luxury brands and K-Pop idols and have helped establish them as influential figures in the fashion and entertainment industries.
Another way that K-pop idols influence brand sales is through collaborations. K-pop groups and idols are often seen as trendsetters in the fashion and beauty industries, and their endorsement of a product can significantly increase its popularity and sales. As a result, brands often seek out popular K-pop groups and idols to endorse their products, as they have a large and dedicated fan base that is likely to purchase products that their favorite artists support. For example, K-pop groups often collaborate with fashion brands, releasing limited-edition merchandise or designing clothing lines. This type of collaboration generates buzz and excitement among fans, increasing sales for both the brand and K-pop.
Gentle Monster x Blackpink’s Jennie
Images from Gentle Monster
Gentle Monster is a South Korean eyewear brand that has collaborated with Blackpink’s Jennie several times. Jennie is a member of the popular K-pop group Blackpink, known for her fashion sense and style.
The first collaboration between Gentle Monster and Jennie was in 2019 when the brand launched a limited edition sunglasses collection called “Jentle Home.” The collection featured six different styles of sunglasses, and each pair came with a unique case designed by Jennie.
In 2020, Gentle Monster and Jennie collaborated again on a new collection called “Jentle Project.” The collection included 20 different eyewear styles in various colors and shapes, including glasses and sunglasses. In addition, each pair of glasses came with a unique case and cleaning cloth designed by Jennie.
The collaboration between Gentle Monster and Jennie has been successful, with both collections selling out quickly after their launch. The brand and the K-pop star share a passion for creativity and innovation, and their collaborations have showcased their unique styles and design aesthetics.
K-pop also influences brands through its music videos and performances.
K-pop music videos are known for their high production value, intricate choreography, and unique fashion and styling. As a result, brands may seek to emulate these visuals in their advertising campaigns, incorporating elements such as bright colors, bold patterns, and edgy styling.
Regarding social response, K-pop idols and their fanbase have a significant presence on social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. In addition, K-pop stans often organize themselves on social media to promote their idols, trending hashtags and creating viral challenges.
Trending hashtags and creating viral challenges
TREASURE – ‘DARARI’
In February 2022, TREASURE released the song ‘Darari,’ a viral hit on TikTok with the trending hashtag #dararichallenge. In addition, treasure’s fan club, ‘TEUME,’ creates a dance challenge. This challenge is so viral on TikTok that the song’s artist came out to do this challenge too. Even the boys of TREASURE used the remixed audio of their music.
Followers: 5.6M
NCT DREAM – ‘Candy’
In December 2022, NCT DREAM released Winter Special Mini Album (Candy). Candy is a song that is remake from the first full album song ‘Candy’ of the H.O.T.(Highfive Of Teenagers) which this band debuted in 1996 by reinterpreting the style of NCT DREAM by adding the freshness and modern charm of NCT DREAM with the bright melody of the original song.
The hashtag #CandyChallenge trended worldwide on Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, and the band even created a tutorial video to help fans learn the dance.
Followers: 10M
5.74M subscribers
This kind of social media activity can increase brand visibility and engagement and generate positive social responses and word-of-mouth marketing.
Conclusion
K-pop has undoubtedly become a powerful force in the music industry. Not only does it have an incredible influence on brand sales and social response, but it has also created a unique visual and aesthetic-driven culture. As a result, it has grown to reach a younger, more diverse audience and is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. This is mainly due to its loyal fanbase, which has supported the industry throughout its growth, and the global reach of K-pop idols.
K-pop has become so popular that many brands seek collaborations with K-pop groups and idols to tap into this trendsetting power. This could be anything from clothing collaborations to cosmetic lines; it’s clear that more and more brands see the value in connecting with K-pop. With the creative and visual appeal of K-pop, these collaborations can create an experience for fans that goes beyond just buying a product.
Overall, the K-pop industry has had an incredible impact on culture and continues to gain momentum across the globe. Its influence is undeniable, and with the passionate support of its fans, it doesn’t seem likely to slow down anytime soon. As long as there is strong support for K-pop, brands will continue to collaborate with K-pop.
