K-Pop is huge. In the last decade, it’s progressed from localized phenomenon to worldwide sensation. It’s become a category at the VMAs, groups are headlining festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza, and songs are consistently ranking alongside the likes of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Just look at one group which recently skyrocketed. Girl group NewJeans debuted just in August 2022 and in only a year, they’ve become a household name like their label counterparts BTS and surpassed long-established girl group BlackPink in streaming numbers. 

How? 

Talent? Duh. But they also have killer marketing techniques that helped launch them into superstardom with a diehard fan base of millions. As advertisers, we should be looking to them as experts in generating brand loyal fanatics. 

Here are 4 things we can learn from NewJeans’ K-Pop marketing

1. Branding is everything.

One thing that has set NewJeans apart is their unique Y2K aesthetic branding. They play into the nostalgia factor with colorful music videos, throwback outfit styling, and 90s R&B sound. Their signature bunny mascot has graced most of their album covers and merch. And fans loved how their recent album used Powerpuff Girls visuals, too.

While some musicians experiment with their look and feel, NewJeans holds strong to their signature concept which really resonates with their Gen Z audience and makes anything they release instantly recognizable as their own. 

What we can learn from this: Recognizability is pivotal in today’s competitive market. Every piece of marketing released for a brand should be distinctly ownable to it. The voice, the style, and the stance should always be true to the brand, even if that means not jumping onto every trend in an attempt at relevance. It might be tempting to change everything to do what every other brand seems to be participating in, but it’s even more important to stay consistent and choose to do things that are sincerely aligned to your brand.

2. CONTENT, CONTENT, CONTENT.

In K-Pop, an album release is more than just a music video and an online streaming drop – it’s a whole event. There are teasers to the album and the music video, dance practice videos, photoshoots, behind the scenes videos, social media challenges, and weeks of TV performances. And within each physical album is more than just a CD. They include posters, photobooks, collectible photocards, and more that make the unboxing experience especially exciting.

NewJeans expands on all of this even more. With multiple title tracks and different editions of physical albums, they increase this existing deluge of content by tenfold with each comeback. They even made a video game to accompany their latest album. There is no shortage of ways for their fans to engage with music releases, and they eat it up every time.

What we can learn from this: A campaign should extend itself to intentional formats that really resonate with audiences. A 30-second spot and a few cutdowns isn’t enough to get consumers to really engage with the campaign… especially in this digital era when we’re fighting to capture short attention spans. Teasers, behind the scenes content, social content, products, activations, and more should be considered for chances at engagement and as a nod to true fans. We should push clients to explore different media buys because the resulting engagement may be a bigger return on their investment. Adding a deliverable just for the sake of it won’t do, it should always be in service of what will be engaging content to the audience. Think about what would truly captivate your consumer.

3. LISTENING LEADS TO DEVOTION.

NewJeans would be nothing without their loyal fanbase: the Bunnies. They know this. So they engage with them as much as possible. They host one-on-one fan calls and live streams where they can interact with followers, get to know them, and answer their burning questions. They’ve even hosted a fan meetup event called Bunnies Camp to meet fans IRL.

And like many other K-Pop groups, they have lightsticks: light up devices created so that fans can feel visible even from a crowd. NewJeans noticed the phenomena of fans customizing other lightsticks, so they designed theirs with customization at the forefront: selling bunny shaped ones with interchangeable facial features and accessories. They know their audience and cater to them wherever possible.

What we can learn from this: Brands should always cater to their target audience first and foremost. They should truly listen to consumers and their needs. Not just half-heartedly acknowledging insights you find about them, but providing impactful creative solutions to their problems. This is what creates diehard fans. Consumers will flock to brands that they feel see them as more than just a source of income or a statistic. They want to feel heard. It’s why every brand’s social media comments are full of questions and concerns from customers (often instead of the reactions we want to get for our case studies). They want brands to listen to them and work to make their lives better. And the ones that do will be respected all the more for it. Observe your target audience closely, learn what they’re saying, doing, and feeling, then act on it accordingly.

4. COLLABORATE ON YOUR OWN TERMS.

NewJeans has already collaborated with some big-name brands. The music video for their recent song ETA was a part of Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign. They’ve created original catchy songs and dances for both McDonald’s and Coke Zero. And perhaps most aptly, they collaborated with Levi’s to create custom 501 jeans for their 150 years of 501 campaign.

All of these collaborations were successful because they played to NewJeans’ existing brand and felt natural. They played to their strengths instead of trying to fit them into a concept that they don’t align with, which is why the collabs worked.

What we can learn from this: When brands collaborate with someone, it should always be intentional. Whether with other brands, celebrities, or influencers, the partnership should be harmonious. No one wants the reaction of, “What the hell do they have to do with this?” A famously sober celebrity should not be the first choice for a beer brand. Asking a gaming influencer to do a TikTok dance may not yield the results you want. Brands with contrasting ideals probably aren’t the best pairing. Collaborations shouldn’t involve one party compromising on their brand, because that would feel disingenuous. It should be consistent for all involved, because that allows everyone to shine equally. When done right, collabs are a natural fit that benefit everyone. When done wrong, both may end up for the worse. Next time you’re brainstorming brand partners, look through the lens of whether it actually makes natural sense for both parties.

Overall, K-Pop has a lot more to offer than just catchy beats, screaming fangirls, and groups with too many members to keep track of. They’re experts in creating loyal fans, and we should look to them for work done right.