[Weekender] ‘Funsumerism’: Shopping for ought to be enjoyable.

Buying conduct is a posh decision-making course of, however for some shoppers, one issue performs an important position — enjoyable.

These people, often known as “funsumers” in Korea, prioritize gratifying and interesting experiences in all features of brand name interplay, from shopping for merchandise and attending occasions to social media consumption.

The long-term viability of this development is questionable. But one factor appears sure: manufacturers are continually innovating to maintain shoppers entertained and, consequently, engaged by way of any means potential.

Model mash-ups

On the core of this fun-driven shopping for development lies retail merchandise with artistic and novel ideas, typically realized by way of model collaborations and playful twists on acquainted gadgets.

A university pupil in her 20s, Kim Ji-yeon, just lately stumbled upon such a product when she stopped by an area nook retailer.

“For film evening with buddies, I finished by a comfort retailer merely to seize a bag of popcorn,” she mentioned. “There, I discovered a popcorn path combine with the Netflix emblem. Since we have been watching a Netflix film that evening, I believed, ‘why not?’”

Many shoppers, like Kim, appeared to seek out the strategic collaboration between GS25 and Netflix intriguing.

As of August, the mixed gross sales quantity of those 33 Netflix-themed merchandise has exceeded 11 million items since their launch in June final yr, producing income of 35 million gained ($26.3 million).

As an alternative of making merchandise that seamlessly combine the model identification of one other, some firms resort to a unusual and unconventional enchantment.

One instance is the Bitcoin meal field. Launched in Might by comfort retailer chain E-Mart 24 in partnership with native cryptocurrency trade operator Bithumb Korea, it included a coupon value over 10,000 gained ($7.60) in bitcoin.

The meal field, which totaled 30,000 items, bought out in lower than two weeks regardless of preliminary expectations of it lasting greater than three weeks.

Some manufacturers have diversified past their unique markets into different industries.

Since 2019, Daehan Flour Mills has featured its Gompyo polar bear character on a spread of merchandise, together with beer, snacks and clothes.

Crossover collaborations which have change into fashionable lately, whether or not in a optimistic or unfavourable mild, embrace air fresheners formed like Jinro soju bottles, chocolate packaged in Malpyo shoe polish tins and physique wash that includes the Seoul Milk emblem.

Whereas many shoppers discovered these merchandise humorous and endearing, their misleading designs backfired as they inadvertently led to confusion for some.

Out-of-the-ordinary merchandise

Other than model collaborations, there are various methods for including a contemporary spin whereas adapting to evolving shopper traits.

Simply as Lim Myung-ho, a psychology professor at Dankook College, famous, “A defining attribute of the funsumer development is that worth suppliers should keep attuned to rising traits.”

The recognition of on-line consuming reveals like mukbang has led to the creation of supersized meals gadgets, such because the Jumbo Ramyeon collection equal to eight servings, and Cream Daebbang, a cream bun six instances bigger than the unique.

The mukbang-inspired ramyeon merchandise have change into a recurring theme in mukbang movies, the place members problem themselves to eat the big quantity of immediate noodles.

Intentional typos or playful variations in product names have confirmed to be efficient attention-grabbing ways.

For instance, in 2019, immediate noodle maker Paldo deliberately altered the textual content on its “Paldo Bibimmyeon” product to learn “Gwaldo Nenemtin,” referencing the favored on-line wordplay that creates a nonsensical sequence of Hangul characters intently resembling the unique title.

Final yr, Burger King Korea launched a brand new hamburger with a mouthful of a reputation utilizing 39 characters in Korean, meant purely to entertain shoppers.

Uncommon taste combos may add a component of enjoyable.

Kellogg’s Korea’s introduction of a inexperienced onion-flavored cereal, which turned a sold-out sensation in 2020, was extra for its enjoyable issue than its style.

Lim remarked that incorporating amusing components into merchandise might speed up their life cycle.

“Customers are continually looking for enjoyment of their buying conduct,” he mentioned. “This necessitates that manufacturers make investments extra effort in understanding what captivates them and introduce new merchandise extra incessantly on a shorter timeline than typical merchandise.”

Enjoyable engagement

The funsumer development isn’t merely restricted to merchandise.

One prevalent manifestation is the pop-up retailer.

Park Jae-min, a Seoul-based workplace employee in his 30s, remembered an SK Power gasoline station-themed pub filled with individuals final yr.

“It actually seemed like a gasoline station, with individuals consuming beer inside,” he recalled.

Though he did not drink there due to the gang, he famous that it will have been enjoyable to take action.

A newer instance is Nongshim’s September pop-up restaurant, which showcased artistic dishes made with its black bean-flavored ramyeon product, Chapagetti, in methods beforehand unimaginable.

As business insiders have identified, the rise of the funsumer phenomenon is partially linked to the impression of social media.

Moreover on-site experiences, these digital areas are essential platforms for not solely sharing shoppers’ distinctive experiences but in addition straight participating with model occasions.

It might be a venue for enjoyable competitions, such because the experimental photograph competitors Samsung held final yr. Contributors have been invited to share zoomed-in pictures of Samsung eyesight take a look at charts arrange in Samsung shops, selling the zoom capabilities of the Galaxy S collection.

Some manufacturers take the initiative to create their very own content material, in such types as webtoons, drama collection and leisure reveals, to ship leisure worth.

Korean kitchen equipment model Cuchen, for instance, launched a brief net collection on YouTube to attach with a youthful viewers.

Professor Lim predicted that the development of looking for enjoyable in consumption is unlikely to say no, because the which means of consumption has advanced in at the moment’s period.

“The notion that if you happen to’re going to spend cash, you need to spend money on merchandise that present extra enjoyment resonates strongly with many shoppers,” he mentioned. “I do not understand this as unfavourable, but it surely somewhat signifies a shift in consumption patterns notably amongst youthful generations.”

Nonetheless, Lim cautioned that firms, whereas holding abreast of what’s new and enjoyable, shouldn’t lose sight of growing the core qualities of their merchandise.

“In the long run, firms ought to combine enjoyable components into their model actions whereas additionally bettering the general high quality of their merchandise.”