By Lee Ka-won
Intern
Seoul City is inviting small manufacturers without their own trademarks to take part in its 'brand' project for 2009.
The Seoul Business Agency, a business promoter funded by the metropolitan city, has announced that it is receiving applications for the "Hi Seoul" brand project by Nov. 25.
Business in the fields of information technology (IT), fashion, culture content and daily necessities that have been doing business for two years or more after being created in Seoul will be eligible for the project, the agency said.
Successful applicants will be given the right to place the logo and trademark on their products and receive support in selling them abroad through comprehensive marketing and promotion activities by the agency at its cost, an official said.
The project was introduced in 2004 aimed at helping Seoul-based small businesses with advanced technology and innovative design that were without their own brands, to use "Hi Seoul" in their export goods, he said. "Hi Seoul" is the logo and slogan adopted and designed by the Korean capital to promote the city abroad.
A commercial on the "Hi Seoul" brand with Seoul PR envoys _ dance group Baby Vox Re.v and world B-boy champion Gambler Crew _ has been aired on global TV networks, such as CNN worldwide, Star TV covering China and India, and HTV covering Vietnam, according to the agency.
As a result, the brand image is high in Japan, China, Southeast Asia, India and other major markets of Korean commodities, he added.
The agency also brings the selected manufacturers overseas for marketing activities and exhibitions at least 4 times a year in a bid to promote sales of their products, he said.
Meanwhile, the number of participants increased from 11 in 2004 to 65 this year and their combined sales with the "Hi Seoul" brand jumped from 9.5 billion won in 2004 to 267.5 billion won in 2007, according to the agency.
For more information, call at 02- 2222-3771∼5 or visit gatsby@yna.co.kr
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