K-Pop Marketing: 8 Lessons to Learn from Music Industry
“It’s not what you sell that matters as much as how you sell it!”- Brian Halligan
During COVID, when people had time to finally breathe (no pun intended), various cultures, languages, and genres were explored through art. That was a testing time for the Korean Pop Music Industry as to how to reach a more prominent and international audience.
Still, they turned tragedy into opportunity and became a popular topic of discussion in every household.
Having said that, in 2017, one of the most popular septet — BTS, performed at American Music Awards and brought the interest of youth in Korean music again. Post — that, there was no stopping their success not just in Korea but overseas as well.
So what exactly are they doing correct and what KPOP marketing strategy, the companies should learn and apply for themselves:
#1 Create a break — through moment
It is a universally accepted truth that one cannot come up with unique content all day, every day. Humans are not artificial intelligence, who can apparently produce quality content all the time.
Hence, as a company, you just need one break — through moment where your brand takes off. You don’t need to think out of the box all the time, but once in a while, it is necessary to be creative.
Take an example of BTS’s song BUTTER. It instantly took off because of its promotional video. They created a YouTube Video of melting Butter with the timer for 60 minutes, and the devoted fans did watch it without glancing away.
At the end of the video, they announced the date of their new song.
While it was nothing extraordinary like a Marvel movie, to take the risk of putting up an hour-long video of melting Butter with a timer is nothing short of taking a considerable risk.
It could have gone either way, but they had their faith in their fans, and it did work out perfectly well in their favor. It is not easy to plan digital marketing strategies for the Korean Pop Music Industry, but luckily for BTS, it did not go that way and tilted this way. So much so that they performed this song at the 2022 Grammy.
Moral: The moral of the story is that you just need one buzz-worthy moment to mark your territory on the world, and you are good to go. Whether it is billboard wars or social media campaigns, or guerrilla advertising, the investment might be high, but the benefits it will reap will be high too.
For example, if you own an ecommerce store, then you can associate with a cause, and those who participate will win a voucher for your website.
Similarly, suppose you are in the content writing business. In that case, you can organize a competition where the participants could write on anything but paper, and those who are the utmost creative will win a cash prize or something. This will be your buzz-worthy moment, and you just need it to come once every few years like a Halley’s Comet.
However, carrying out such a campaign requires thorough planning of resources and allocation of budget and a team enabled enough to carry it out. Because campaigns like this can only be done once in a while, is it necessary to have a clear goal of what you want out of the campaign?
If you are expecting sales or popularity or followers, make people understand what they need to work towards.
#2 Balancing Local and International
One cannot deny the fact that Koreans are rooted in their culture to the core. While they don’t mind going international, which they are bound to because art knows no boundaries, they do not neglect locals.
The best example of it is another Korean boy band, EXO. They are more popular amongst Koreans as compared to BTS, and vice versa is valid for international audiences.
EXO’s management company believes that catering to the needs of locals is necessary as they are your first audience and first customers. At the same time, the management company of BTS believes that by targeting an international audience, they’ll be able to reach more people faster.
Almost all popular KPOP groups have loyal fandom, which consists mainly of fans that are local. Unless the art they produce is translated into the language that is universally accepted — ENGLISH, not many can connect to it. Yet there are tons of people who can relate to their music because Korean pop stars are honest towards their art.
Hence they have started to come up with songs that are fully recorded in the English language. They know what they are doing when it comes to producing music.
Not all Koreans are well-versed in the English language, so they will always have to rely on the Korean language, but that doesn’t mean they cannot expand their horizons and try something new once in a while.
Moral: The lesson that one can learn from the book on Korean Pop Music Industry is that even though your ultimate goal is to go international, don’t forget to cater to the needs of locals. They are, were, and will always remain your initial customers.
If you organize a concert, then make sure to give something extra to the locals because they will be more in number. Similarly, if you are coming up with an offer or sale, natives should be the first ones to be at an advantage.
They can reach your brand faster than international customers, which is why their needs should be kept in mind while coming up with a marketing strategy.
Having said that, international fans shouldn’t feel left out too, which is why planning for both types of customers — local and global is essential.
#3 Give what the audience wants
Whereas it is true that you drive your brand, the audience is the backseat drivers, and you need to listen to their needs and go through the route they ask you to. Korean bands announce weeks, sometimes months ago, about their upcoming projects so that their fans are eagerly waiting for them for a long time to be present to support them.
Creating curiosity amongst customers has always been a brilliant KPOP Marketing Strategy. Many famous Korean Bands announce their concert dates months ago to give fans time to prepare. One such example is the Korean girl band TWICE. Their concert schedule for 2023 was announced in March itself to create curiosity as to what will happen.
And this isn’t limited to the Korean Pop music industry. Whether it is about launching a new version of the iPhone or a new car to be found, creating a buzz beforehand has become a trend.
Moral: If your audience wants you to bring out the fall collection in summer, you must. If your audience wants you to bring in Robert De Niro to promote cream for youth, then you have to make him your brand’s ambassador. Giving the audience what they want is the only way to create a loyal fan base that will support you through thick and thin.
#4 Community Engagement done right
Not many people know this, but in the various corners of the world, BTS parties and exhibitions are organized time and again to sell their merch and stream their music and help them rank top on the charts.
Korean artists are known to unite various communities and give them a sense of purpose despite people are their fans or not. Not all community members are fans, but they will willingly become part of community activities because it is for a good cause.
Recently, a video of a reunion of the cast of a famous American TV show was hosted on an OTT platform, which not only increased the subscription of that OTT platform but also increased the views of the show by millions overnight.
Not that it needed it because it was one of the most popular shows in the 90s and even today. But it helped to unite people who were suffering from mental health issues. They brought together mental health sufferers.
Thus, when people are brought together by similar interests, especially an emotional issue, they are bound to be loyal to the brand for life. That is precisely why more prominent brands prefer to associate themselves with a cause like a climate change or cleaning the ocean, or feeding people experiencing poverty.
Moral: The management companies of these Korean artists often organize free concerts to promote tourism or help people experiencing poverty. Similarly, if, with your brand, you can create a community that can come together and do good to society, not necessarily charity, then you must do it.
For example, a shoe company can organize a marathon to promote “infusing jogging in the daily routine to become healthy,” which is as good as doing a charity.
When people see brands doing good, they will proudly become ardent customers and inspire others to join as well. And no matter how progressive the world becomes, there is no more powerful strategy than word of mouth.
#5 Social Media savvy
The Korean Pop Music Industry specializes in being social media savvy. Whereas they might not use Instagram and Facebook that much, they go crazy when it comes to going live on Weverse, launching their video on youtube, ranking on Spotify, announcing their upcoming project on Weibo, trending on TikTok, etc.
Apart from that, popular Korean shows like Weekly Idol or Running Man, or Knowing Bros have provided a platform to artists so that they can showcase their talent and all things they are good at apart from being a performer. These light-hearted and comic shows have become a gateway for casual viewers to become loyal fans.
Moral: Most brands simply promote their products and services on social media. While people prefer no-bullshit content, once in a while, they, too, will appreciate brands putting up light-hearted content.
For example, if a beauty brand creates an animated video of how its products are prepared and delivered, it will be appreciated by people.
Similarly, people also enjoy watching and learning about the unboxing experience of a customer. They would like to know how other customers have opted for your product/services and that they are happy with it. They do not regret their decision to be associated with your brand, at least.
#6 Extra content
While Korean Pop Artists are known for singing, dancing, fashion, and acting, they do not lag in other departments as well. They are active with showing behind the scenes and selling marches; they come live on various platforms and interact with their fans, associating themselves with charitable organizations, attending events as chief guests, promoting healthy living, blogging, etc.
What it implies is that they are quick to provide extra content. Korean music labels release teasers through concept films, photos, and short videos months before the scheduled album release. These activities would often draw significant attention from Western as well as Eastern media outlets, thus creating buzz around the artists.
With a few Korean pop artists like Lee Ji — Eun, Hwasa, Jessi, TXT, etc., you’ll never have a dull moment. Competitions, Game Shows, Fan Events, Photo Shoots, tours, etc., are organized to keep people constantly focused on them around the clock.
Sometimes, due to time differences, many cannot attend live video streaming of KPOP idols, but devoted fans do engage themselves despite the difficulties.
Moral: It is not always about the main product; it is about the extra. People want to know what extra you can provide to them — be it discounts, cashback, gifts, services, or more.
For example: If a person orders a book box from you for the first time and you provide them beautiful bookmarks or literature goodies, then there are chances they will come back to you and bring others too.
The brands have the liberty to be as creative with extras as possible.
#7 Unleash the Fandom Power
When it comes to the fandom world, no fandom is more potent than that of Korean Pop Music Industry Bands except for POTTERHEADS (fandom of Harry Potter).
Be it ARMY (fandom of BTS), BLINK (fandom of Black Pink), EXOL (fandom of EXO), ONCE (fandom of Twice), CARAT (fandom of Seventeen), REVELUV (fandom of Red Velvet), etc., they all are a loyal and dedicated group of fans who will go above and beyond for their fans.
The significance of having fandom/loyal brand customers is that they will accept whatever you have to provide to them. And this comes from having put faith and trust in your brand.
Korean Bands have a loyal fan base because they are honest towards their fans and listen to them. They interact with them and acknowledge them. If their fans ask for concerts, merchandise, or collaborations, they give it to them.
In return, their fans stick by them, spreading their music, buying their merch, attending their concerts, and even supporting them through difficult times like COVID. Some fans even travel to different countries with them to observe all their shows.
But this does not happen overnight. Everything is planned well in advance and then executed. They strictly follow digital marketing strategies intended for KPOP artists, and the result is marvelous.
Moral: Whatever you give is whatever you get. If your product/service solves problems of people which they never thought they had, the customers will associate with you the way you never thought they would. When you listen to your loyal fan base/customers, they will listen to you and won’t leave your side to go to other brands who are your competitors.
#8 Say NO to one genre
Most Korean Pop Music Industry Bands do not stick to one genre; they experiment with their music. Sometimes it strikes a chord with the audience; sometimes, it doesn’t. But this doesn’t stop them from trying something new. Many KPOP artists collaborate with American artists to bring a unique flavor to their music.
One of the KPOP girl bands known for collaborating with foreign artists is BLACKPINK. They have collaborated with famous artists like Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga, and Cardi B, experimenting with different genres.
The point is to say NO to one genre. If you keep experimenting with different marketing strategies like the management companies of these Korean artists do with other genres, then something might stick.
Moral: If you are trying to engage people on social media, try guerilla advertising once in a while. You can also throw in blogging and guest posting once in a bit.
Combine it with email marketing and video marketing as well. Mix & match different strategies and see what works. Who knows, you might get the business of millions out of a straightforward email!
Conclusion
Korean Pop Music has gained so much fame and love over the last decade that now they are reaping the benefits of their success. Lots of household KPOP names like GOT7, ASTRO, BLACKPINK, TWICE, etc., became popular in the year 2020 despite debuting in 2013 or 2016.
Now the scene is such that the fourth generation of Korean pop stars need not work hard to become famous. Except for working on bettering themselves as an artist, they are served everything on a platter because a strategy template has been set, and they just have to follow it.
Of course, the companies keep on adding new ingredients to an old recipe, but that is to spice it up a little. Otherwise, the dish is the same old classic.
Hence, you can try that with your industry as well. You can take a page out of the KPOP industry’s digital marketing lessons and figure out what they have done correctly and how. In case you feel stuck, you can always contact the experts who will help you with the process and see what works for you.
After all, whether it is BTS or Black Pink or ITZY, or NCT 127, along with their talent, it’s their strong digital marketing game that has helped them gain popularity not only in Korea but overseas too.
