“Jeanz” or NewJeans, who are currently pursuing independent activities after unilaterally notifying their agency ADOR of the termination of their exclusive contract, is reportedly in direct contact with several global luxury brands to negotiate advertising model (ambassador) contracts.
According to industry insiders on December 18, “Jeanz” recently conveyed their intent to establish a direct contract (two-party contract) with a global luxury watch brand “O” through ADOR manager “A.”
Industry insiders claim that “Jeanz,” who declared the termination of their contract with ADOR as of October 29, attempted to sign a direct advertising contract with a client through an ADOR employee without informing the agency.
Manager A, who recently gave an interview with a media outlet, stated, “I simply conveyed NewJeans’ intention to fulfill advertising contracts made prior to the contract termination as usual.”
This statement effectively acknowledges that “Jeanz” attempted to contact advertisers directly and proceed with contract signings while excluding ADOR from the process, leading to further controversy.
During an emergency press conference in which Danille, Hanni, Haerin, Hyein, and Minji announced their contract termination, they stated they would continue with their scheduled activities and advertisements as planned. ADOR, for its part, had been supporting this through its managers and staff.
However, it has come to light that this specific contract was pursued without ADOR’s knowledge, raising the possibility of a breach of their exclusive contract. Legal experts have pointed out that this action could work against “Jeanz” in the ongoing lawsuit to determine the validity of the exclusive contract.
In addition to Brand “O,” it was also revealed that “Jeanz” attempted to directly contact another luxury brand through a former ADOR manager, “B,” who had previously resigned from the company.
With these incidents repeating, ADOR has begun to take action. Manager A, who was involved in the unauthorized communication with Brand “O,” has been placed on standby. ADOR also notified Brand “O” that a direct two-party contract with the artist could constitute a breach of the exclusive contract. Similar notifications were sent to other brands, informing them that advertising appearances must be negotiated in consultation with ADOR.
As the situation grew more complicated, fashion brands that had been considering “Jeanz” as advertising models have become more cautious. It is reported that some brands are now closely monitoring the situation and conducting legal reviews.
The fashion industry has expressed regret over the current predicament of “Jeanz,” who had been enjoying rising popularity in the advertising market. A representative from one brand remarked, “NewJeans (Jeanz) was considered an alternative to the BLACKPINK members after much deliberation. Even if they are popular, it’s unlikely that brands would invest large sums in advertising contracts with significant risks involved. It feels like they’ve cut open the goose that lay the golden eggs, which is a shame.”
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