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April 14, 2009
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| As the economic downturn shuts consumers’ wallets tighter than ever, companies find they must pound the pavement and pry them open in person - going house by house, and even to offices, schools, mountains and rivers. Korea Yakult Co., famous for its street sellers who pull coolers on wheels, has been sponsoring free shuttle buses to Seoul’s women’s universities decorated with items from the hit TV drama “Boys Over Flowers.” Riders will be served Yakult’s “Super 100 Premium” yogurt by “handsome” male helpers. The shuttles run today at Duksung, Dongduk, Sungshin and Sookmyung women’s universities. Since earlier this year, employees from DigitalCube, which makes portable media players and other electronics, has been visiting schools to provide free service and upgrades in an event it calls “School Attack.” The company said they decided to launch School Attack when they discovered that many high school students purchase media players in order to listen to online lectures. “This sort of direct marketing is expected to help with sales by spreading news of the company’s unique services by word-of-mouth,” said Han Jae-wu at the electronics maker. Fuji Xerox has been sponsoring a similar campaign, where workers visit universities and service Fuji’s printers. SK Broadband, starting last month, has been sending female employees to households to upgrade PCs as well as explain the company’s new services and payment packages. “This service was launched so that housewives, the target demographic for individual household sales, will feel more comfortable receiving our services,” said Ahn Seung-yun, head of the marketing division at the company. This month, Samsung Electronics began sending “laundry experts” to 100 households that own the company’s Hauzen Bubble washing machines to explain how to wash clothes without ruining the fabric. It calls the campaign the “Bubble Know-how Project.” On April 26, Domino’s Pizza will sponsor free pizza parties outdoors, where food for picnics will be made to order on special pizza-making buses. Staring May 17, K2, which sells clothing and accessories for hiking and outdoor activities, will station “moving service centers” at popular hiking destinations including Mount Bukhan and Mount Seorak, to provide shoe repair and cleaning, mending of hiking gear and clothing and other services. Casual clothing brand Hang Ten Korea will pick select customers through a raffle and give their children free T-shirts to hand out to classmates. Handok Pharmaceuticals will send salespeople to four Seoul universities to promote their anti-acne gel Cleocin-T and provide skin consultations starting next month. By Kim Chang-woo [jainnie@joongang.co.kr] |
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