Pizza Hut taps Rain to win back Korean market share

Developed in partnership with Diamond Ogilvy, the humorous initiative features Korean pop icon Rain as a brand spokesperson. The TV spot shows the singer enjoying a ‘Smart Lunch’ in the restaurant when a crowd of young women rush in. He prepares to be mobbed by what he assumes are star-struck fans, only to discover that the women are more interested in the lunch deal.

A source at Diamond Ogilvy explained that the campaign was aimed at young women with limited time and budget looking for an alternative to “the usual lunch options”.

The source noted that while Pizza Hut remained Korea’s leading pizza restaurant chain, domestic competitors such as Mr Pizza were steadily eating into its market share with aggressive marketing tactics incorporating top celebrities. Mr Pizza has risen significantly in popularity among women through the use of popular female actress Keun-young Moon as brand ambassador.

“It has been observed that young adults no longer associate with the [Pizza Hut] brand as they feel it is rather old,” the source added.

The new campaign also features online and in-restaurant components. It is set to run for three months.

Watch the ad