
Homeplus Subway Virtual Store
Issue 20 | August 2011
Agency
Cheil Worldwide, Seoul, Korea
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director: Joungrack Lee; Creative Director: Youna Chung; Art Directors: Youna Chung, Youbin Bang, Yeonjoo Lee; Copywriter: Misu Yi
Other Credits
Account Manager: Joowon Han
Background
South Korea is a difficult market for even the most powerful global corporations. But where Walmart and Carrefour had failed, Tesco had succeeded by adjusting to local conditions, even changing its name to Homeplus.
The brand had grown to No.2 in South Korea but it had fewer stores than E-Mart, the No.1 brand.
Idea
Usually, people go to the store. What would happen if the store went to the people?
Virtual stores were posted up in subway stations, 2D displays of all the shelves shoppers would expect to see in a supermarket.
However, every item had a QR code so commuters could use their smart-phones to shop on their way to work in the morning.
Their goods would be delivered when they were home in the evening.
Results
Online sales increased dramatically. In the campaign period, 10,287 consumers visited the online Homeplus mall using their smartphones. The number of new registered members rose by 76% and on-line sales increased 130%. Currently, Homeplus has become No.1 in the on-line market and is clsing in on E-Mart for the No.1 position.