When Gompyo wheat beer was released, people went crazy! It is not because of the beer taste but the beer is a collaboration of two distinctive brands of flour named Gompyo and beer companies. I was one of the people who are hunting for that special alcohol, so I checked out every convenience store near my house almost every night. The beer was produced by a small brewery, resulting in relevantly frequent supply shortages. Although it has been few months since Gompyo released the product, it is still hard to find the beer in convenience stores.
After this unique partnership, other non-food companies started to compete on collaborated food and drinks such as a shoe polish maker Malpyo’s beer, Malpyo chocolate Chunmapyo Cement popcorn and even a gum manufacturer JuicyFresh released JuicyFresh flavored beer. What is the reason behind its popularity? Why people are so eager to try out these collaborations?
Retro, diversity, new brand image and nostalgia are key reasons. Most of the brands listed above have more than 50 years of history since their establishment. For older generations, these products excite nostalgia and remind their memories of childhood.
The packaging is cheery on top since it resembles the original brand identity. For example, Chummapyo Cement popcorn selected cement bag design for the popcorn package and JuicyFresh kept its signature bright yellow color to the beer can. This method also grasps young customers’ attention towards their brands and leads them to potential customers in the end. A teenager who thought JuicyFresh gum is outdated now sees it in a whole new sight and even be interested in buying the gum. At the end, brand images of relatively old brands will rejuvenate. Well, the outcome is a win-win for suppliers and customers!
The rise of retro has been widespread in Korea for the past few years. Not only the food industry but also fashion, music and even hairstyles are going back to the 1990s. When I visit my grandparent’s house, my grandmother gives me her flower-patterned comfy band pants that look out of style and old-fashioned. I used to be hesitant to wear even at home but now I am very happy to dress her retro-styled baggy pants. In the same sense, if these collaborations came out earlier, then they might not be hot as today. Timing and idea of products were perfect and widespread convenience stores in Korea also helped them to be top-selling items.
As a customer pursuing the latest trend, I am looking forward to seeing more collaborations in diverse items, including furniture, clothing, accessories, books, etc. Usually, maps in any game consisting very typical and boring components. So a collaborated map in a game made by a furniture company will give players a fresh experience and game company more players!
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