Increasing Popularity for Newspaper New Year’s Ads

Kyobo Life Insurance, which is marking its 50th anniversary, launched a new advertisement campaign entitled, “Flower of Insurance,” in major newspapers beginning Jan. 8.

The key theme of the advertisement campaign is to emphasize that insurance is about love between family members undergoing difficult times, and not about investment. The campaign carries two episodes—“Diamond” and “Hamburger”—which were printed in newspapers for 10 days and then aired on TV beginning Jan. 17.

“We believe conveying our message that the fundamental value of insurance lies rooted in family love was limited through TV ads,” said a spokesperson for Kyobo Life Insurance. “So we will continue our newspaper ads which will convey the thoughts renowned authors and poets have about insurance.”

Newspaper has become a key medium through which companies have been delivering their New Year’s message. The trend has become especially apparent this year.

Welcomm, on behalf of the Dong-A Ilbo, surveyed trends of New Year’s advertisements by major domestic businesses using the advertisement industry’s internal system on Jan. 25. The survey found that businesses’ preference for newspaper as a medium has become widespread.

The Kumho Asiana Group, which chose TV as a medium for its first ads last year, first launched its New Year’s ads in newspapers this year with the message, “In 2008, we hope each one of us becomes a beautiful person for others.”

On Jan. 8 of last year, Kookmin Bank ran its ads on TV and in newspapers, simultaneously. This year the bank published its New Year’s ad, which promises “KB Star would make Korea financially strong in the world,” only in newspapers on Jan. 7.

LG Group has run its New Year’s message only in newspapers since last year. The love-letter like ad reads, “Life is short only to love. LG will only look at you and listen to you.”

The Hyundai Motor Company published its first ads in newspapers which said, “We look forward to 2008. We will advance with you and with the world during 2008.”

A public relations officer at a major company explained, “TV ads are more expensive to run than newspaper ads. More importantly, print media seems to be a more effective way to appeal with a quiet and sincere message at the start of a year.”

Ryu Joo-hyeong, director of Welcomm’s media department, noted, “Running ads in newspaper is cost effective. Unlike television, whose audience includes unspecified target consumers, newspaper enjoys a relatively large readership of opinion leaders and of those who have purchasing power.”

Socio-political changes following the presidential election last year have also had a positive effect on major companies’ preference for newspaper ads.

An advertisement industry source said, “The Roh administration’s hostile policy toward major newspapers made it difficult for private businesses to run their ads in newspapers, especially major dailies. As President-elect Lee Myung-bak, known as pro-business and pro-media, won a landslide victory in the election, it seems that businesses are now free from the burden previously imposed upon them.”

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