I am writing in response to the Feb.19 story, "Chopsticks ad puzzles some foreigners."
As someone who contributed to the KOTRA ad, I would like to tell you that KOTRA has received overwhelmingly positive responses to it from foreigners.
Showing iron chopsticks picking up a semiconductor chip, the ad reads, "Korea: Where you pick up beans with iron chopsticks / With dexterity, perseverance and resilience, Korea has become an economic power. Plant the beans for your success in Korea."
The ad refers to the superiority of Korea's iron chopsticks compared to their wooden and plastic counterparts in other countries, and how their use reflects qualities that have led to Korea's success. It invites foreign investors to succeed here as well.
Last October, we showed ad options to 30 foreign journalists at Korea's largest foreign investment attraction event. Eighty percent chose the chopsticks ad, as did our overseas staff and the foreign investors to whom they showed the options.
Invest Korea's Commissioner received warm responses to the chopsticks concept during his IR work in Brussels in November. In the United States, a Bridget Partners representative said, "I think the ad was generally well-made in that it draws the interest of Americans. And the copy is a compact and effective description of the strengths of Koreans."
In contrast, Professor Lee Seung-yun described the ad's image as "outdated" in your article, saying dexterity, perseverance and resilience were emphasized in the 1980s and 1990s.
Indeed, it was with these qualities that Korea succeeded. We are stressing how they contributed to Korea's progress, not implying they are the best Korea has to offer today.
Regarding the image, it shows handheld chopsticks above the Earth picking out a semiconductor chip from Korea, a high-tech global country.
"The design is modern and sophisticated," said a representative of U.S. company Summit Insights.
Finally, I question basing a story on the opinions of three people, one of whom was unnamed, and "several foreign observers" (also unnamed). I believe a large number of randomly selected people would have made for a more accurate survey group.
As someone who contributed to the KOTRA ad, I would like to tell you that KOTRA has received overwhelmingly positive responses to it from foreigners.
Showing iron chopsticks picking up a semiconductor chip, the ad reads, "Korea: Where you pick up beans with iron chopsticks / With dexterity, perseverance and resilience, Korea has become an economic power. Plant the beans for your success in Korea."
The ad refers to the superiority of Korea's iron chopsticks compared to their wooden and plastic counterparts in other countries, and how their use reflects qualities that have led to Korea's success. It invites foreign investors to succeed here as well.
Last October, we showed ad options to 30 foreign journalists at Korea's largest foreign investment attraction event. Eighty percent chose the chopsticks ad, as did our overseas staff and the foreign investors to whom they showed the options.
Invest Korea's Commissioner received warm responses to the chopsticks concept during his IR work in Brussels in November. In the United States, a Bridget Partners representative said, "I think the ad was generally well-made in that it draws the interest of Americans. And the copy is a compact and effective description of the strengths of Koreans."
In contrast, Professor Lee Seung-yun described the ad's image as "outdated" in your article, saying dexterity, perseverance and resilience were emphasized in the 1980s and 1990s.
Indeed, it was with these qualities that Korea succeeded. We are stressing how they contributed to Korea's progress, not implying they are the best Korea has to offer today.
Regarding the image, it shows handheld chopsticks above the Earth picking out a semiconductor chip from Korea, a high-tech global country.
"The design is modern and sophisticated," said a representative of U.S. company Summit Insights.
Finally, I question basing a story on the opinions of three people, one of whom was unnamed, and "several foreign observers" (also unnamed). I believe a large number of randomly selected people would have made for a more accurate survey group.
Young Chang
Executive consultant, KOTRA
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