‘Frying Pan That Saves Polar Bears’... Innovative Sense Captivating the MZ Generation

Interview with Lee Woo-jung, Head of Happy Call Product Planning and Development
The brand has a future with the MZ generation... Initiating brand innovation
Collaboration with Daehan Flour's 'Gompyo' receives strong response from meaning-driven MZ generation
Selected Brave Girls as models... "Aiming to become a youthful brand by targeting fun consumers"

Kitchenware company Happycall has recently initiated changes in its main products through the launch of various small home appliances and unique collaborations. Lee Woo-jung, head of product planning and development at Happycall, stated, "We believe that capturing the MZ generation is essential for Happycall's future, and after undergoing rebranding consulting, we have embarked on a structural improvement."

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The increase in single- and two-person households and the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic have transformed the kitchen landscape. According to Statistics Korea, as of the end of last year, the number of single-person households in South Korea was counted at 6,148,000. Especially, more than half of the MZ generation in their 20s prefer non-marriage singlehood, non-marriage cohabitation, and childlessness, leading to smaller family units. As a result, the kitchenware industry is focusing on the small home appliance market targeting this demographic as a new growth engine. Happycall, well known for its double-sided pans, has recently shifted its main product lineup through the release of various small home appliances and unique collaborations. Lee Woo-jung, head of product planning and development at Happycall, said, “We judged that capturing the MZ generation is essential for Happycall’s future, and after rebranding consulting, we began structural improvements.”

The change in family composition necessitated the miniaturization of kitchenware, and developing products for the design-conscious MZ generation required different colors and configurations than before. Lee explained, “As single- and two-person households increased, we reduced the traditional pan diameter of 28cm and introduced Flex pans in 20cm and 22cm sizes, as well as Edge cookware in 20cm and 24cm.” He added, “Along with launching a small home appliance line that appeals to the MZ generation, we are focusing on developing ‘Instagrammable’ products by applying various colors to the pans.”

Collaborations with various brands also attract attention. Earlier this year, Happycall released the GomPyo Flex pan through a collaboration with Daehan Flour Mills’ ‘GomPyo’ brand. Collaborations with food and beverage brands such as beer, snacks, and ice cream have expanded the brand’s reach by partnering with brands popular among younger generations. Additionally, donating a portion of sales proceeds to the polar bear preservation campaign resonated well with the MZ generation. Lee said, “The product message, which combines retro sensibility with consideration for the environment and animal rights, seems to have been well received by the MZ generation, who consume based on their values and beliefs.” He added, “To develop products targeting the MZ generation, who are enthusiastic about personalized consumption, we place great importance on reflecting the opinions of our in-house millennial community from the planning stage.”

Recently, Happycall has accelerated its 'MZ Generation Friendly' policy, which has been ongoing since the second half of 2019, by selecting the girl group Brave Girls, who gained attention with the reverse chart success of their song "Rollin," as their advertising model. Photo by Happycall

Reducing Capacity and Applying Trendy Designs to Target the MZ Generation

Starting as a kitchenware company, Happycall has officially entered the kitchen appliance market by launching four types of small home appliances following its ultra-high-speed blender. At the end of last year, it released the ‘Odd Adam Appliances’ series, consisting of a single-burner induction cooker, mixer, electric kettle, and toaster, selling 90% of the initial 28,000 units. Lee, who is preparing to launch a small rice cooker in the Odd series, said, “The existing flagship product, the ultra-high-speed blender, will also be tailored for the MZ generation by reducing capacity and applying trendy designs, with plans to release it in the second half of the year.” Additionally, the air fryer, considered an essential item for single-person households, will be introduced this year with a lineup ranging from 3.5 liters to 5.5 liters. Happycall is also expanding its kitchenware category beyond pans and pots, preparing to launch storage containers and various cooking tools in the second half of the year.

Happycall, which recently launched aggressive marketing through TV commercials, attracted attention by selecting Brave Girls, who gained renewed popularity through a viral music comeback, as their models. Lee said, “As part of our MZ generation-friendly policy, we chose Brave Girls as our representative models.” He explained, “We aimed to newly imprint the brand image on fun consumers by combining the approachable and skilled image of the models with the unexpected pairing with kitchenware.” Emphasizing the desire to become a brand that occupies not only housewives’ trust but also the kitchens of future generations, Lee expressed his ambition: “We will continue to develop new products that receive favorable reviews overseas and strive to make Happycall products an essential item in kitchens worldwide.”

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