Continuing support despite long slump
Advertisement effect on this win
When you achieve the ‘Career Grand Slam’
Second record after Park In-bee
1.35 million dollars (about 1.75 billion won).
‘Flying Dumbo’ Jeon In-ji (28, photo) won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship (total prize money of 9 million dollars), a major event on the LPGA tour in the US on the 27th (Korean time), and it is the ‘jackpot’ that she hit. But there are places that have been as successful as ever. It is KB Financial, a sponsor that has been with Jeon In-ji for 5 years.
The golf industry is analyzing that this win has resulted in KB Financial’s effect being more than 10 times that of winning the regular LPGA Tour. This is because the story of the revival of Jeon In-ji, who had been sluggish for nearly four years as well as winning a major event, was added, and it created a deep emotion. According to NBC Sports of the United States, the final round of this tournament had the highest viewership ratings in the US during the past 15 years on the LPGA Tour. This means that the logo of KB Financial was exposed to viewers around the world through Jeon In-ji.
The golf industry is giving an evaluation that ‘you reap what you sow’. This is because, despite Jeon In-ji’s long-term sluggishness, KB did not stop supporting and silently supported it. KB Financial became the main sponsor of In-Jeon Jeon in 2018. Coincidentally, in October of that year, the news of Jeon In-ji winning the KEB Hana Bank Championship last on the LPGA Tour was cut off. As the slump lasted for a long time, there were speculations that KB Financial would soon break up with Jeon In-ji.
However, KB Financial did not let go of Jeon In-ji. A KB Financial official said, “KB looks at not only skill, but personality, attitude, and will as well when selecting sponsors, and Jeon In-ji crossed the pass line in all respects. ” he said.
Reporter Jo Soo-young [email protected]