Kim Yu-na's Marketing Value Soars

South Korea’s obsession with the megastar figure skater Kim Yu-na will also usher in a new marketing craze to associate with her as various companies are hoping to capitalize on Kim's Olympic triumph, Donga Ilbo newspaper said Saturday.

More than 300 companies have been known to approach Kim with “business opportunities,” it said.

She is the first South Korean to win an Olympic medal in figure skating, and gold at that, while setting a new world record in the process.

She became the first female figure skater to achieve the "grand slam," winning the World Grand Prix Final, Four Continents Championships, World Championships and the Winter Olympics.

As South Korea has a series of sporting events this year, Kim’s gold medal will ignite the ever greater marketing craze, a PR specialist told the newspaper.

With Kim’s latest victory, any company hoping to have her in its commercial may need to pay 1.2 billion won per deal.

And the handsome price tag is understandable. “Kim is special in that she is liked not just by a certain group of consumers, but by all Koreans. Furthermore, she is now a global star,” Donga said citing an advertising specialist.

South Korea’s marketing community expects Kim’s revenue from corporate commercial contracts only surpass at least 10 billion won this year.

In the past, Kim participated in commercials by Hyundai Motor, Samsung Electronics, Maeil Dairy, Tous Les Jours, CJ Group, and jewelry maker J.Estina.

Meanwhile, international firms are also likely to jump in the bandwagon as well, including Risport of Italy, the skates she used during the Olympics.

source by Korean Times