Nongshim, South Korea's largest ramyun maker, has unveiled its first brand character "SHIN" to mark the 40th anniversary of Shin Ramyun's launch.
The company plans to strengthen the Shin Ramyun brand through character marketing that anyone can intuitively connect with regardless of language or cultural background. The strategy is to expand consumer touchpoints and boost brand recognition through character design and storytelling befitting its global brand stature.
SHIN features an appearance reminiscent of ramyun noodle strands and the Shin Ramyun package, with the Chinese character "辛" (meaning spicy) incorporated into the character's eyes and accessories to reflect the brand's identity.
The character's backstory also reflects the product's characteristics. SHIN possesses the sociability to befriend anyone within four minutes and 30 seconds — Shin Ramyun's cooking time — and searches for the perfect food pairings with Shin Ramyun while connecting with consumers worldwide through social media.
Nongshim has set up character introduction pages on its Korean, English and Chinese websites targeting global consumers, and released a 30-second animation telling SHIN's origin story on its official YouTube and Instagram channels. The company plans to further expand consumer touchpoints through social media content and character-themed events.
Starting next month, Nongshim will also run a roughly three-month promotion including 13 types of character stickers in Shin Ramyun Gold multipacks. Winners of select limited-edition stickers will receive prizes including luggage, and additional merchandise will be given away through social media verification events. The company will also launch character-themed products on Nongshim Mall, its online store.
"SHIN is a character that personifies 'spicy happiness,'" a Nongshim official said. "We will actively utilize it in global exhibitions and marketing through our overseas subsidiaries to strengthen brand affinity."
