SUPERCORE MEETS NEWCORE

TitleSUPERCORE MEETS NEWCORE
BrandSK HYNIX
Product / ServiceSSD(SOLID STATE DRIVE) FOR COMPUTER
CategoryA03. Durable Consumer Goods including Automotive
EntrantSK HYNIX Gyeonggi-do, SOUTH KOREA
Idea Creation SERVICEPLAN KOREA Seoul, SOUTH KOREA
Production COMPUTERFACE STUDIO Taipei, TAIWAN

Credits

Name Company Position
Alexander Schill Serviceplan Group Global Chief Creative Officer
Jason Romeyko Serviceplan Group Global Executive Creative Director
Julie Kang Serviceplan Korea CEO
Kwangjae Lee Serviceplan Korea Executive Director
Jiwon Kim Serviceplan Korea Planning Director
Jongpil Yoon Serviceplan Korea Chief Content Officer
Silver Eunman Kim Serviceplan Korea Creative Director
Jihyun Seo Serviceplan Korea Art Director
Jiho Ahn Serviceplan Korea Associate Art Director
Junghwan Choi Serviceplan Korea Senior Account Manager
Yerim Kim Serviceplan Korea Account Manager
Ralf Richter Plan.net Performance General Manager
Johann Drees Plan.net Performance Account Manager
Casey McCabe Serviceplan Group Copywriter
Ta-Wei Chou Computer Face 3D Designer
Sheng-Chin Lin Computer Face 3D Designer
Yi-Chun Chang Computer Face 3D Designer
Robert Sundelin Serviceplan Korea 3D Artist
Sheila Leyne Mullen Lowe PR Managing Partner
Kalley Jolly Mullen Lowe PR SVP
Charles Leone Mullen Lowe PR VP
Lauren Nickl Mullen Lowe PR Senior Account Manager
Luke Kissick Mullen Lowe PR Account Manager

Background

SK hynix is the world's 2nd largest memory manufacturer that supplies 21% of the global market. Unlike their huge reputation in B2B market, the brand was completely an unknown brand to B2C market. SK hynix wanted to expand its business into the consumer market with solid state drive products (SSD) made of their advanced technology. However, it was an unwelcoming situation for the latecomer. The retail SSD market has already been overheating with the big name brands such as Samsung, Sandisk, and WD.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

Gold, Silver, and a multiple colored stone named Supercore SSD series are brought out on Amazon.com along with an immersive gaming universe of creative stories. The upgrading experience of Supercore SSD is communicated as video games. The main target group, gamers would instinctively find their interests when they discover the stones resembling game items. This visual treatment differentiates from the majority of competitors who have the same looks of black chips on green circuit board. By creating a sci-fi game-like world, the brand story of semiconductor innovation for 38 years is delivered with evoking pure curiosity just like experiencing a formidable core stone handed by the true master.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Supercore SSD series aimed at the bigger market, the US, instead of domestic market where a safe start is secured with the local reputation. In order to achieve the maximum exposure at the first launch, the US Amazon.com was the optimal choice. Half of all U.S. households are subscribed to Amazon Prime. Also, Amazon is the first minded place to purchase PC components. Supercore SSD series is depicted with a futuristic gaming world visual on Amazon. It lets gamers get their interests intuitively. With tech influencers, the story of the semiconductor master, SK hynix was told. While WOM is driving traffic, a new technology installed SSD was released at CES where the most advanced tech products are introduced. Through such game-like experiences where you discover items and hear about them on and outside eCommerce, Supercore SSD series maximized its brand awareness among consumers.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

On Amazon, we created the product page and brand store directing as if consumers enter the gaming world beyond simply introducing the product to them. Also, keyword advertising, display banner, and video advertising were strategically operated with the goal of being ranked in the top 10 Amazon bestsellers. On the outside of Amazon.com, active PR activities and influencer marketing have been conducted to drive traffic to the Amazon product page from the offsite. 

List the results (30% of vote)

When SK hynix launched the SSD, it ranked only in #217 in Amazon. The monthly sales have increased dramatically. It recorded over 80 times of the sales growth in the sixth month of its launch. Eventually, it took #1 in Amazon's best sellers in February 2020. It was the result only within 6-month of its launch in the U.S. And top-tier tech media outlets like PC Mag, and Tom’s hardware announced the Gold S31 as the best SSD of the year. Besides, branded content with the influencer who has 10M subscribers has achieved 1M views and 105K engagements within 24 hours of its release. The traffic on the product selling page increased by 210% compared to the previous two weeks.