Binggrae enjoys brisk ice cream sales on 'Son boom'

Korean football player Son Heung-min is featured in Binggrae's new TV commercial. / Courtesy of Binggrae

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Binggrae has been enjoying brisk sales of its flagship “Super Cone” ice cream with the rising popularity of a new TV commercial featuring Korean football player Son Heung-min.

The commercial, released April 11, features the football star dressed in an oversized jumper and jeans and dancing while holding the ice cream. The video exceeded 1.2 million views on YouTube within two weeks of its launch.

By country, Korea recorded the highest traffic that accounts for 88.1 percent of the cumulative views on YouTube.

However, the video attracted viewers in the U.S., Japan, Canada, Australia and the U.K., according to the ice cream and desserts manufacturer.

Nearly 55 percent of viewers were between the ages of 25 and 34, followed by 32.8 percent who were between 18 and 24.

Binggrae attributed the explosive popularity to Son, who is one of the most marketable athletes in Korea.

Son has netted 20 goals in all matches this year, including two goals that helped send Tottenham to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League last week.

The Realmeter survey of 500 people in Korea showed that 51.5 percent of the respondents chose Son as the best Korean football player ever, outperforming former Bundesliga forward Cha Bum-kun.

“Thanks to Son, the volume of Super Cone orders has increased around 25 percent compared to the week before the commercial went viral,” a Binggrae official said.

“However, it will take approximately one to three months to analyze the exact correlation between the commercial and the sales.”

Meanwhile, social media users were divided over Son's appearance in the commercial.

One supporter tweeted, “This is one of the funniest advertisements involving a football star. It's amazing.”

Others commented, “And the award for the worst advertisement in history goes to…” and “I can't believe Man City conceded two goals to this ice cream model.”

Binggrae said the company is reviewing whether to release an English version of the video to reach global audiences. The company expects an English version will also become popular.

“We expect to raise brand awareness of Super Cone and the company,” the official said.