2023-08-15 04:00:03
Graphics = Biz Watch
Obi Beer is accelerating its second brand fight with Hite Jinro Kelly, with actress and singer Suzy as its new brand model for Hanmaek. When Hite Jinro’s Kelly created a box office sensation at the beginning of its release and threatened Cass, Obi Beer seems to be starting a defensive battle with Hanmaek.
‘Number Three’ Competition
In the beer industry, Orbi Beer Cass has dominated the market for more than 10 years. Hite Jinro’s Hite, which gave up its No. 1 spot, decreased its market share every year, and even Terra, which was released in 2019 and quickly replaced Hite, could not rise to the level of surpassing the No. 1 spot. Lotte Chilsung Cloud, the third largest brand in the industry, also failed to expand its market.
In the meantime, Obi Beer started making ‘Number Three’. In 2020, it released ‘Hanmac’, a lager beer second brand product. As a difference from Cass, it was emphasized that it is a beer with ‘domestic rice’. The name ‘Hanmaek’ was also intended to highlight that it is a product containing domestic rice.
Ob Beer Hanmaek / Photo courtesy = Ob Beer
However, as Corona 19 spread around the world, Hanmac’s ‘national debut’ was delayed. It was not until February 2021, later than originally expected, that the official release was carried out and full-fledged marketing began, but steam has already been lost. The marketing point of beer with rice also failed to attract consumers’ attention. The plan of Obi Beer, which wanted Hanmac to occupy the third place in the market after Cass and Terra, went awry from the first step.
In the meantime, Hite Jinro has prepared ‘All Malt’ beer Kelly as a new product to support Terra. It was effective in differentiating it from existing all-malt beers by reinforcing the carbonation in the rich taste of all malt. 100 million bottles were sold within 3 months of launch. The ‘number three’ position that Hanmaek coveted was also for Kelly. Thanks to the Kelly blast, Terra and Kelly’s combined market share in some hypermarkets was counted as number one, surpassing OB Beer.
I came to catch Son Seok-gu
Obi Beer also came out with a counterattack card. It is a renewal of Hanmac. Abandoning the concept of ‘beer made from rice’, it emphasized soft throating and long-lasting foam. As the characteristics of Cass are strong carbonation and coolness, they aimed to settle in the market with a concept that contrasts with this.
Actor Lee Byung-hun, who has been active as the face of Hanmaek since its launch, has also been replaced with Suzy. This is to highlight the soft image of Hanmaek by appointing Suzy, which contrasts with the rough Son Seok-gu. Previously, Lotte Liquor also launched Cloud, which emphasized rich bubbles, and featured actresses such as Jeon Ji-hyun and Kim Tae-ri as models.
Suzy, a new model of Hanmaek, an obi beer/photo courtesy of obi beer
Along with the announcement of the new model, Orbi Beer also launched a new campaign to promote Hanmac’s soft ‘Foamtastic’. With the concept that the taste of the first sip lasts until the end, the company plans to carry out marketing emphasizing the soft and rich bubbles and the durability of the bubbles.
Obi Beer is in a situation where it has to save Hanmaek somehow. Hanmaek must support Cass so that he can not be pushed back in the fight against the ‘Terra-Kelly’ alliance. If Hanmac, which has been in its third year of launch, fails to establish itself this year, it may become difficult to maintain the brand itself. This is why Obi Beer seems to be launching an all-out marketing offensive.
“We plan to actively communicate with consumers through various online and offline marketing activities, including new TV advertisements in the second half of the year,” said Hanmac’s brand manager.
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