InterviewMartin Sorrell discusses Sydney Sweeney 'jeans' ad, Korean market

Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital, poses at Monks' office in Seoul, Aug. 18. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

American Eagle's campaign featuring actor Sydney Sweeney, which ran with the tagline "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans," sparked one of the biggest controversies in the global advertising industry this year.

While people in the United States discussed whether the ad promotes eugenics, U.S. President Donald Trump and his aides reacted to the debate by showing their support for the ad and the actor.

Widely seen as a legendary figure in the advertising industry, Martin Sorrell also responded to the controversy during a recent interview with The Korea Times, saying the ad reflects a "swingback from wokeism."

"What's happened under Trump, clearly there's been a swing away from that," he said. "If you look at how Mark Zuckerberg has shifted his political views and Facebook's, and compare what he was doing under Biden or before Biden to what he is doing now under Trump, they are very different."

The British businessman did not judge whether American Eagle's ad was promoting the idea of genetic superiority. However, he described such a shift in the political landscape as moving back to "much more" traditional values.

"In the recent past, that was an approach that was frowned on," he said. "Now it's an approach that is not frowned on. It may even be encouraged."

Choosing geographies for growth

The interview took place during the ad mogul's three-day visit to Korea in his capacity as executive chairman of S4 Capital, a purely digital advertising and marketing services firm that he founded in 2018 when he left WPP plc, the world's largest advertising company.

Sorrell is known for transforming WPP, formerly a wire shopping basket manufacturer, into the world's largest advertising and marketing services company with a market capitalization of over 16 billion British pounds ($21.6 billion) by the time he left. He was knighted in 2000.

Living up to his reputation, the 80-year-old displayed insight not only into his own field but also into geopolitical issues.

Citing U.S.-China trade tensions, Russia-Ukraine territorial disputes and Middle East conflicts as the three most difficult issues to resolve, Sorrell emphasized the importance of choosing geographies for growth.

"We had golden years after World War II, and now the world is going to be much more fragmented," he said. "If you're a company, you have to choose the areas where you grow much more carefully."

He picked North and South America, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific as key regions. In contrast, he was skeptical about the African market due to its volatility and Europe due to slow growth.

Spectators sample Bibigo products at CJ CheilJedang’s booth during the 2024 Kurly Food Festa at Coex in Seoul in ths December 2024 photo. Courtesy of CJ CheilJedang

Agency behind Bibigo x 'Squid Game 2'

Throughout the interview, Sorrell expressed keen interest in Korean politics, economics and society, asking questions about the latest trends while displaying his understanding and familiarity with the country.

S4 Capital has expanded its business in Korea by acquiring local firms and running the Seoul office of Monks, a subsidiary specializing in digital-first marketing services and consulting.

While advising that Korean firms should choose areas of the world where there is opportunity, he stressed understanding how outbound messaging will be received, given the small size of the domestic market and the country's unique language and culture.

"There's a huge domestic market in China, but the big opportunity for Chinese companies is outbound and it is for Korean companies too," he said.

However, he noted it is more difficult than expected for Korean companies to leverage K-pop, K-food and K-cosmetics commercially.

To address those challenges, Monks collaborated with CJ CheilJedang's brand Bibigo last November to launch a marketing campaign for Netflix's "Squid Game" Season 2.

The campaign successfully introduced the food firm's instant gimbap (rice rolls), dumplings and other prepared meals, drawing attention from global fans of the world's most popular series.

Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital, poses at Monks' office in Seoul, Aug. 18. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Strongest AI agency

Sorrell also touted S4 Capital as a company that outdoes other agencies in terms of adapting to the era of artificial intelligence (AI).

"Our agency has been voted the strongest AI agency by Adweek and the One Club," he said. "We're the only agency to have won both awards."

He expressed confidence that his company can help its Korean clients navigate the impact of AI, focusing on five areas AI will affect: visualization and copywriting, hyperpersonalization at scale, media planning and buying, general efficiency, and the democratization of knowledge.

"Korean companies have been very successful abroad and will continue to be," he said.