Henry and Pizza · Lee Minho and Chicken... Perfect Match Model Effect for Dining Out Brands

Advertising Model's Impact on Brand Image and Credibility
Papa John's Pizza Appoints Henry and Mina as Exclusive Models

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] The food and dining industry is aiming for synergy effects by employing advertising models that align well with their brand image. Advertising models not only positively enhance the brand image but also provide consumers with a sense of trust, helping to boost sales.

According to industry sources on the 18th, premium pizza brand Korea Papa John’s has selected singer Henry and girl group Gugudan member Mina as exclusive models starting this year, conducting various promotional activities including TV commercials. Papa John’s Pizza stated that they chose Henry and Mina, who are very popular among young people, to strengthen communication with the 2030 generation seeking new flavors.

In fact, mukbang videos of Papa John’s Pizza’s ‘American Hot Dog Pizza’ and ‘Chipotle Chicken Pizza’ posted by models Henry and Mina have attracted high view counts and attention. Henry and Mina’s bright and healthy images are said to match well with the young and friendly image that Papa John’s Pizza pursues, demonstrating a perfect harmony between the brand and its advertising models.

Recently, Papa John’s Pizza has been conducting model marketing by launching a signature set combining the favorite menu items of Henry and Mina. This set consists of pizzas and side menus recommended by each exclusive model, and customers who purchase the set on a first-come, first-served basis can buy transparent photo cards of Henry and Mina. Additionally, a portion of the sales from the Henry & Mina Signature Set is donated to a domestic rural children’s nutrition support project run by an international relief and development NGO, helping to promote the healthy growth of children in rural areas.

Choi Won-je, Head of Marketing at Korea Papa John’s, said, “Since the relationship between the brand and advertising models is inseparable, the food and dining industry is eager to find models that fit well with their brands. Papa John’s Pizza will strive to become a trendy pizza brand that actively communicates with the 2030 generation together with advertising models Henry and Mina.”

Genesis BBQ has selected actor Lee Min-ho as its model. BBQ explained that Lee Min-ho’s masculine and handsome appearance and deep gaze match BBQ’s image of ‘the most delicious’ premium chicken, which is why he was chosen as the model. The strategy is to secure a young customer base by appointing Lee Min-ho, who is widely loved by the public, as the model.

The BBQ commercial, which will air in mid-April, can be viewed on TV and BBQ’s official website, and behind-the-scenes videos showcasing various charms of Lee Min-ho will be released afterward.

Lee Min-ho is a representative global Hallyu star of South Korea, continuously loved by the public through works such as ‘Boys Over Flowers’ (2009), ‘Personal Taste’ (2010), ‘Faith’ (2012), ‘The Heirs’ (2013), and ‘The Legend of the Blue Sea’ (2016?2017). He has a strong fan base both domestically and internationally.

A BBQ official said, “We expect synergy from the meeting of BBQ’s premium and top-quality chicken image with Lee Min-ho’s diverse charms ranging from softness to charisma. We plan to carry out various activities including new product promotions with Lee Min-ho, the new face of BBQ.”

Nongshim has selected model Jung Hyuk as the face of its new product ‘Kalbimmyun’ and recently released an advertisement. Nongshim stated that they chose Jung Hyuk, who has a distinctive character, to express the new taste and texture of Kalbimmyun, which features kalguksu noodles and kimchi bibim sauce. In the advertisement, model Jung Hyuk confidently introduces Kalbimmyun accompanied by lively music, arousing the interest of the younger generation.

Maeil Dairies has appointed Lim Young-woong, the winner of TV Chosun’s entertainment program ‘Tomorrow is Mr. Trot,’ as the model for its cup coffee ‘Barista Rules.’ Lim Young-woong has revealed through his personal social media that he frequently enjoys Barista Rules. Fans who noticed this have started a purchasing campaign, calling it ‘Lim Young-woong Coffee’ or ‘Young-woong Coffee.’ Lim Young-woong’s image of overcoming hardships and reaching the top has been praised as fitting well with Barista Rules, which pursues ‘the best coffee.’

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.