"Tired Consumers of Social Distancing" ... This Year's Consumption Keyword is 'ENGAGE (Gyeolsok)'

CJ OnStyle Derives 6 Detailed Keywords Related to 'Gyeolsok' and 'Gwan-gye'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] CJ OnStyle announced on the 3rd that it has selected 'ENGAGE (Connection)' as the consumer trend keyword for 2021 in collaboration with the Seoul National University Consumer Trend Analysis Center.

Reflecting the era in which the global pandemic that began last year has prolonged untact lifestyles such as social distancing and working from home, making the need for connection and relationships with others more urgent, CJ OnStyle aims to propose a new distribution ecosystem unique to itself.

The six keywords using the letters of the English word 'ENGAGE' are ▲Enrich Real Me (About Jjin Me) ▲New Days for On-time People (Ontime People) ▲Give Me Warm and Sweet Touch (?-Touch) ▲Advent of Directing Consumers (Two-way Director) ▲Green Lights to Like-Commerce (LIKE Commerce) ▲Establish CJ ONSTYLE Universe (CJ OnStyle Universe). Based on these keywords, CJ OnStyle plans to carry out various activities throughout the year that break away from the existing distribution paradigm where platforms, brands, and customers existed separately, enabling mutual engagement and positive relationships.

Among these, 'About Jjin Me' was inspired by the rise of essential consumption, where people contemplate 'what truly matters to me' as everything they once took for granted changes. It means that CJ OnStyle must reinvent itself as a shopping platform that empathizes with customers' tastes, helping consumers who define themselves through the products and brands they choose to form their 'jjin' (authentic) self.

'Ontime People' refers to the trend where the limited nature of time?if not now, then never?makes products and services most attractive to consumers. It suggests maximizing CJ OnStyle’s live service strengths to build positive relationships with customers. '?-Touch' is a strategy to infuse warmth into shopping through meticulous customer care that allows people to feel human connection even in untact and contactless environments.

As consumers with shopping insight increasingly participate in brand product planning, the keyword 'Two-way Director' was also derived. This reflects the growing phenomenon of 'Edishumers,' consumers who directly engage in product and service planning stages, and 'Salesumers,' consumers who become sellers themselves. 'LIKE Commerce' refers to the need for distributors to directly propose content that perfectly matches customer preferences amid overwhelming information and choices. As content that consumers 'like' accumulates, the empathy and relationship with customers become more refined.

Inspired by the blurring boundaries between industries and consumers’ familiarity with floating across various devices, platforms, and brands without distinguishing between online and offline, 'CJ OnStyle Universe' embodies the goal of building a platform where consumers can comfortably access anytime without channel boundaries.

Jang Gap-seon, Brand Marketing Team leader at CJ OnStyle, said, "With the acceleration of changes in consumer lifestyles due to COVID-19, quantitative and qualitative changes are expected across the distribution industry and consumer market. We will strive to quickly respond to changes in the distribution environment through continuous trend research and provide customers with new shopping experiences."

Meanwhile, last year CJ OnStyle selected 'EXPERIENCE' as the keyword, emphasizing that customers’ positive shopping experiences should be the top priority.

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