Korean Air’s New Ad Campaign Is… Really Strange?

Korean Air’s New Ad Campaign Is… Really Strange?

26

I’m a sucker for a good airline marketing campaign.

Singapore Airlines’ ad campaigns? Love them.

Air France’s “France Is In The Air” campaign? Okay, I actually have no clue what’s going on, but it’s so chic and French, and I can’t help but like it.

Well, Korean Air has just unveiled their new ad campaign, and it’s… unusual. Keep in mind the airline has been involved in all kinds of scandals lately, given that the family that runs the airline just seems to be awful, and can’t stay out of the spotlight. So I’m guessing they wanted to come up with a new campaign in part to boost the reputation of the airline, given that it seems to be suffering a bit among all these challenges.

Korean Air’s new ad is called “Go Korean,” and since the airline is named after the country, it seems to be promoting both the country and the airline. But it’s just… very strange and very cheesy. Maybe there’s something cultural I’m missing here, but this is an English campaign that will play on international stations in English.

I just… don’t get it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnHZPNz4Ffw

One of Korean Air’s old ad campaigns had the tagline “Excellence In Flight,” and while I thought it was a bit much, it at least made the airline seem a bit glamorous, and had a message:

Does anyone like/get/have a different take on Korean Air’s new ad campaign?

Conversations (26)
The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.
Type your response here.

If you'd like to participate in the discussion, please adhere to our commenting guidelines. Anyone can comment, and your email address will not be published. Register to save your unique username and earn special OMAAT reputation perks!

  1. Zhiwei Guest

    I love the Korean Air new ad. The colors and sounds are definitely refreshing and a welcome to the more traditional advertisements of hospitality like Singapore Airlines.

  2. majik Guest

    Probably a poor translation of the original Korean voiceover script, plus the delivery of said voiceover is not great. Turn down the sound and it's visually an interesting spot, no better or worse than AF's effort.

    However, I'm sorry, that old Korean spot from 2010 is terrible, I mean like cringe worthy. It's essentially a retail spot proclaiming loudly about it's global reach with heavy handed, tired visual metaphors. I actually couldn't believe that one...

    Probably a poor translation of the original Korean voiceover script, plus the delivery of said voiceover is not great. Turn down the sound and it's visually an interesting spot, no better or worse than AF's effort.

    However, I'm sorry, that old Korean spot from 2010 is terrible, I mean like cringe worthy. It's essentially a retail spot proclaiming loudly about it's global reach with heavy handed, tired visual metaphors. I actually couldn't believe that one was from 2010, looks and feels more like 1995. TV advertising is my business, I can spot a turd a mile away.

  3. SQFirst Guest

    Surely, the angry nut executive must have authored this! lol

  4. James Guest

    And, it is well done. Very professional with good graphics,

  5. James Guest

    I think because it's so different, it's meant to grab your attention. It certainly kept my attention.

  6. Richard Member

    As almost everyone has already said, it's a good ad for the intended audience.

  7. Morgan Guest

    Besides the karate bit I actually like it and get it, I think it is meant to show way Korean air infuses the culture within the airline product e.g. food , music in the entertainment system etc I actually really like it

  8. Gjkd Guest

    The idea is super simple. Korean pop culture is world famous. If you want to experience cool culture, go Korean airlines
    BTS is so so so hot! Much better than Shawn Mendes

  9. Robin Mitchell Guest

    There are mountains and there are molehills...
    Let's not make mountains out of molehills.

  10. Mike Smithers Guest

    South Korea as a country hypes themselves to the max. They want to be viewed as hyper modern which this commercial pushes. But the country is kinda a mess. I know so many people who where so excited to visit South Korea but where then disappointed. Should have gone to Japan which is wonderful.

  11. Ken New Member

    Agree with @Andy that this new advert plays like an awareness building campaign for both KE & Korea.

    In ~60 secs, the vid connects key KE/Korea USPs: modern/stylish, delicious food, high tech, K-pop, animation, airlines.

    Target demo for branding campaign probably is first timers who’d benefit from seeing all these disparate references threaded together—hopefully resulting in a “Oh, that’s Korea? It seems really cool! I should go there (on KE)” moment.

    IMO, brilliant...

    Agree with @Andy that this new advert plays like an awareness building campaign for both KE & Korea.

    In ~60 secs, the vid connects key KE/Korea USPs: modern/stylish, delicious food, high tech, K-pop, animation, airlines.

    Target demo for branding campaign probably is first timers who’d benefit from seeing all these disparate references threaded together—hopefully resulting in a “Oh, that’s Korea? It seems really cool! I should go there (on KE)” moment.

    IMO, brilliant if it can achieve this. You probably don’t *get it* because you’re not the intended audience @Lucky

  12. Derek Glass Guest

    The second daughter of Korean Air’s chairman got in trouble when she threw water in the face of an executive from one of the airline’s advertising agencies. Lucky, you might be able to sympathise with her situation if this was the ad they were presenting to her.

  13. Jay Guest

    I'm a Korean native - lived in Korea all my life - and I don't get it at all. I don't recognize the music - it definitely isn't one of those hit K-Pops.

  14. ITST Member

    Do not worry Lucky. Most Koreans are confused as well.

  15. jz Guest

    What you don't understand doesn't mean it's strange.

  16. ijoel Guest

    its major shade thrown to asiana.u can have meal on ur flight

  17. betterbub Diamond

    Korean Air is way too tacky, from the flight attendants' uniforms to the sickly blue they paint their planes in. Their ad campaigns reflect as such.

  18. Philip Guest

    I don't understand any of these k-pop references. Isn't this commercial geared more towards European pop music?

  19. mike murphy Guest

    applying Asian logic to this it means "fly the dream, not the reality "

  20. Andy 11235 Gold

    I actually didn't like the "excellence in flight" ads, because nothing shown in the ad really speaks to the tagline (are they advertising service to many cities or the onboard product?). I can fly dozens of airlines to Shanghai -- why would I fly KE?

    The new campaign makes nods to the modern trend of farm-to-table eating, and with the somewhat cheesy kpop moves, speaks to the korean cultural references foreigners are most likely to...

    I actually didn't like the "excellence in flight" ads, because nothing shown in the ad really speaks to the tagline (are they advertising service to many cities or the onboard product?). I can fly dozens of airlines to Shanghai -- why would I fly KE?

    The new campaign makes nods to the modern trend of farm-to-table eating, and with the somewhat cheesy kpop moves, speaks to the korean cultural references foreigners are most likely to recognize. Especially thinking about their primary competitor (OZ) the message is blunt: you have many ways to fly, but you should fly us because we're Korean.

  21. Nick Guest

    The video is a hybrid of a korean pop song and a commercial.

  22. Unhoeflich Guest

    I was waiting for someone with a picket sign to swing into frame in the AF ad.

  23. D Guest

    I’m sorry - but what don’t you get?

    They are explaining the USPs of traveling on Korean.

  24. Hong Konger Guest

    Not any less brilliant than AF or SQ Campaigns.
    It rides nicely the positive vibe Kpop and Seoul fashion have (mostly in Asia).

    I think it fits well the new Terminal they launched.

  25. Jason Diamond

    All I can say is that none of that happened to me when I flew KE F in February from Singapore to Washington. It was an excellent journey (I'd give an A+ to each of the flights I was on), so I'd definitely fly them again, regardless of this rather strange ad.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Zhiwei Guest

I love the Korean Air new ad. The colors and sounds are definitely refreshing and a welcome to the more traditional advertisements of hospitality like Singapore Airlines.

0
majik Guest

Probably a poor translation of the original Korean voiceover script, plus the delivery of said voiceover is not great. Turn down the sound and it's visually an interesting spot, no better or worse than AF's effort. However, I'm sorry, that old Korean spot from 2010 is terrible, I mean like cringe worthy. It's essentially a retail spot proclaiming loudly about it's global reach with heavy handed, tired visual metaphors. I actually couldn't believe that one was from 2010, looks and feels more like 1995. TV advertising is my business, I can spot a turd a mile away.

0
SQFirst Guest

Surely, the angry nut executive must have authored this! lol

0
Meet Ben Schlappig, OMAAT Founder
5,163,247 Miles Traveled

32,614,600 Words Written

35,045 Posts Published

Keep Exploring OMAAT