CU, First in Retail Industry to Launch 'Metaverse Collaboration Marketing'

CU×Binggrae, Metaverse Collaborative Marketing.

Binggrae and Distribution Industry's First Collaborative Marketing
Enhancing Fun Elements Only Available at Virtual Reality Convenience Stores
Opening of Unmanned Convenience Store Concept CU ZEPETO Subway Station Branch

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] CU announced on the 7th that it will conduct the distribution industry's first collaborative marketing on ZEPETO, Asia's number one metaverse platform.

CU stated that to continue the active brand collaborations in virtual reality, it will partner with Binggrae starting this month to target Generation Z with marketing efforts.

The reason CU collaborated with Binggrae on ZEPETO is to enhance fun elements that can only be experienced in a virtual reality convenience store and to increase users' affinity for CU and the collaborating brand. When an avatar visiting the ZEPETO CU convenience store clicks on the displayed Banana Flavored Milk, a special motion is applied where a straw is inserted into the product.

Through this collaboration, CU and Binggrae expect the convenience store's representative steady seller, Banana Flavored Milk, to attract significant interest from foreign users visiting ZEPETO. Over 90% of users who use the ZEPETO CU store are foreigners.

CU plans to analyze the marketing effects using this ZEPETO content and create continuous collaboration cases in the future.

On the 4th, CU unveiled its third store, the unmanned convenience store concept 'CU ZEPETO Subway Station Branch.' At the entrance of this store, a facial recognition device is installed, automatically opening the door when an avatar approaches. Next to the entrance is a kiosk equipped with CU's self-payment application, CU Byself. When an avatar leaves the store, an automatic payment sound "jjalang" is played, adding detail as if visiting a real unmanned store.

Inside, popular CU ready-to-eat meals, desserts, beverages, and snacks are displayed, and outside, a photo wall for taking selfies and benches for sitting are separately prepared.

CU was the world's first to introduce virtual reality convenience stores in August, first with the Hangang Park World Map set against Hangang Park and then with Classroom 2 World Map modeled after a school cafeteria. The CU ZEPETO convenience stores faithfully reproduce actual CU products, services, and interiors, becoming popular content among domestic and international users, according to the company.

After launching the first store CU Hangang Park Branch and the second store CU ZEPETO Classroom Branch, visitors to these maps increased fivefold, and the number of certification photos increased eightfold. Posts related to CU on avatars' SNS feeds, including the number of posts, views, and comments, have reached 8 million.

To commemorate the opening of CU ZEPETO Subway Station Branch, a prize event will also be held. Customers who upload photos taken at the photo zone in front of the store to their own feed with designated hashtags will be entered into a draw to win prizes including Galaxy Z Flip3 (2 winners), CU mobile gift certificates (100 winners), and ZEPETO coins (100 winners).

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