K-pop is sweeping the world, and its popularity increases as more artists enter the industry. Idol groups and soloists such as Big Bang, Girls Generation, EXO, BTS, and Psy have been smashing records and taking over the world with their catchy music. How did they manage to break into other countries? The key is employing strong and memorable K-pop marketing strategies.
K-pop has started an international wave of communication through its music and marketing strategies. The good thing here is that their tactics do not only apply to the K-pop industry. You can also use it for your business to stand out against your competitors.
7 Marketing Tactics Used by K-Pop Artists
K-pop agencies employ many unique tactics to promote their artists locally and internationally. Here are seven K-pop marketing strategies you can apply to your business.
1. Use of technology
K-pop artists have an advantage over other musicians because they often access large fan bases through social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. These platforms allow artists to interact with their fans regularly and share content. Social media also allows Korean idols to establish themselves as solo artists after their contracts expire with their current companies.
Aside from social media, some idol agencies use virtual reality and hold hologram concerts to take K-pop to the next level. K-pop groups like aespa and Blackpink have started using the metaverse as either a part of their lore or to promote their music.
2. Audience targeting
This strategy involves identifying and reaching out to specific groups of people based on their demographics, psychographics, and behavioral patterns. Audience targeting helps brands create relevant content that resonates with their target audience. It also helps them understand how people respond to specific products and services to identify growth opportunities.
K-pop groups understand they must target different audiences to thrive in today’s competitive environment. One way they do this is by creating subunits within their group so they can appeal to different demographics without diluting their message or alienating fans who prefer one member over another (e.g., having a girl crush on Taeyeon from Girls Generation).
3. Brand partnerships
The latest trend in K-pop is cross-promotion, which involves promoting an artist’s music through another product or brand. This marketing strategy is not new, but it has become more popular with the rise of social media and people’s desire for more authentic experiences. The goal is to get fans excited about your products and services and make them want more.
For example, BTS collaborated with McDonald’s in 2021 on a special meal called BTS Meal, which consisted of Chicken McNuggets, medium French fries, a medium Coca-Cola, and two spicy dipping sauces. The collaboration reached 50 countries and boosted McDonald’s worldwide sales by 41%.
McDonald’s Korea particularly saw a 250% increase in their Chicken McNugget sales in the first four weeks of the BTS Meal’s launch.
4. Viral hashtag campaigns
Viral hashtag campaigns are popular in K-pop, with fans creating hashtags that can trend worldwide. It has become so common that even non-fans have heard about them. Some examples include BTS’ #BTSLoveYourself and NCT127’s #NCT127REGULAR.
Using hashtags for your business can give your customers something to talk about. If you want customers to engage with your brand, start a conversation and create a social media challenge. If they are happy with your product or service, they would likely share their experience with their friends and family. Once you have the ball rolling, more and more people will check your brand and become loyal customers.
5. Social media campaigns
Social media campaigns have become increasingly popular among K-Pop groups and other artists worldwide due to their ease of use and low implementation cost. Social media allows them to connect directly with their audience and build up hype before official promotions begin, which helps them reach more people than ever.
These tactics include releasing teaser photos and videos, album pre-order links, highlight medleys, and more on their online platforms. Consequently, media outlets will report these teasers on their websites to further promote artists and their comeback.
6. Pop-up shops
Pop-up shops are helpful in marketing your products and services and creating a unique experience for your customers. A pop-up shop is a temporary store that sells merchandise from a specific brand or product line. You can hold pop-up shops at malls or public spaces like parks or plazas.
They usually have limited timeframes, ranging from a couple of days to several months. Brands often use them as advertising strategies because they create buzz around their products or services before they are released to the public. In K-pop, such shops help brands sell their products and hold events where fans can meet their favorite artists face-to-face, creating even more hype around their business.
7. International collaborations
International collaborations are among the best ways to attract more fans and increase sales. It is also a great way to establish credibility and relevance in the global market. Take NCT 127 as an example. In 2019, the K-pop boy group collaborated with American singer Ava Max for their song “So Am I.” The collaboration helped them reach out to an audience unfamiliar with their music or concept.
Both parties benefit from this partnership because it allows them to work on something new together that they would not normally do alone. The partnership helped them build up their audiences even more.
Make Your Brand Unforgettable
In recent years, the K-pop industry has become a master in marketing. K-pop agencies work hard to promote their artists in unique ways, with some using novel technologies and tactics to create buzz around their artists. If you are eager to harness this marketing power for your business model, you can experiment and try various marketing strategies. Not every strategy will work equally well for your business, but you will know which ones will when you test them out.
Also, read: Why Content Is So Important In a Digital Marketing Strategy
