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Social Media Promotes U.S. Pork Sausage to Young Adults in Korea

Published: Sep 25, 2018

Using social media to attract young adult consumers in South Korea and enhance awareness of U.S. pork products, USMEF promoted U.S. pork sausage as a delicious, quality snack at Waterbomb Festival 2018. Funded by the National Pork Board, the USMEF booth distributed samples of Johnsonville and Oscar Mayer sausages to about 10,000 visitors in the Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul.

Young Koreans enjoy the Waterbomb Festival in Seoul, where USMEF promoted U.S. pork sausages with samples, social media sites and interactive games

The festival attracted more than 60,000 people – mostly young adults ages 20 to 30.

Festival visitors were invited to participate in USMEF’s social media events and games. As a result, many photos of the USMEF booth and U.S. pork sausages were shared in social media posts and on the leading portal site Naver. Bloggers and Instagrammers who visited the festival frequently mentioned the sampling event with photos and positive feedback about the taste of U.S. pork sausage.

U.S. pork beach towels were among the prizes handed out by USMEF at the Waterbomb Festival

The strategy to combine social media with a large social event to target young adults was well-planned, according to Jihae Yang, USMEF director in Korea.

“Koreans in their late 20s and into their 30s have become the primary consumers of luxury brands,” explained Yang. “Restaurant visits are an interesting place to observe the millennials’ spending, as well. Only 19 percent of Korean adults between the ages of 50 and 64 eat out more than once per day, on average. By contrast, 48 percent of Korean adults between the ages of 19 and 29 and 35 percent between the ages of 30 and 49 eat out more than once per day. The data show younger generations are more likely to spend money for convenience or personal enjoyment.”

Young Koreans formed long lines to sample U.S. pork sausages at the USMEF booth

She also pointed out that young adults in Korea think visiting festivals and cultural events is a very rewarding and dynamic experience.

“Companies and brands consider things such as music festivals as effective marketing channels to enhance brand awareness and gain massive exposure because young adults in Korea have purchasing power,” she said. “On top of that, this group is most likely to share their experiences via social media.”

The annual Waterbomb Festival became the attention-grabbing event in Korea due to its new concept of joining fun and social water fight activities with live musical performances.

Prior to this year’s festival, USMEF uploaded online promotions of the event to Facebook and Instagram and operated an online campaign to actively promote the event by giving out free tickets. Visitors were granted a U.S. pork sausage coupon if they posted photos taken at the USMEF photo zone with hash tags #Americansausage, #Sausage or #Beersnacks on their personal social media sites. To promote its U.S. pork sausage sampling event, USMEF handed out fans, banners, leaflets and foam boards. Temporary tattoos designed with U.S. pork logos were handed out to draw more attention, and recipients were encouraged to share photos of their tattoos on social media.

Games at the USMEF booth added an entertainment element and attracted more visitors. Some participants received a U.S. pork beach towel and all received free coupons for U.S. pork sausages. Visitors who purchased beer at a nearby stand were also given U.S. pork sausage coupons.

“Combining our social media efforts with large social events is really the most effective way to reach young consumers,” said Yang. “There is tremendous value in getting the U.S. pork brand out there on social media and encouraging young consumers to share their experiences with each other. That awareness leads to purchases the next time they go to a restaurant or a supermarket.”