After fronting campaigns for luxury fashion houses such as Burberry, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Dior, the members of NewJeans are taking on yet another brand venture – for the beloved Indonesian instant noodle brand Indomie.
Indomie announced the popular K-pop quintet – comprising Minji, Hanni, Haerin, Hyein and Danielle – as its global brand ambassador on Oct 31 via Instagram.
On the same day, Indomie put on YouTube an advertisement led by the members. The post has already earned more than one million views.
In the Instagram announcement, Haerin said: “The taste of Indomie is like a burst of happiness (with) every bite.”
The NewJeans partnership with Indomie comes as the brand introduces new Korean-inspired flavours. Its Indomie Korean series includes a spicy ramyeon flavour and another that uses creamy and savoury rose sauce, which is often paired with Korean rice cakes.
According to media news site Marketing Interactive, Mr Axton Salim, director of Indofood, the food giant behind Indomie, said in a statement that the appointment is a major step for Indomie to expand into a global market and connect with younger consumers.
He added: “We are delighted to have NewJeans as the global brand ambassador for Indomie. We are excited to be the first South-east Asian brand to collaborate with them.
“NewJeans’ music and personality, which resonate not only with K-pop fans but also the broader audience, align perfectly with Indomie’s fun, energetic and uplifting character.”
More promotional events featuring NewJeans are expected to begin on Nov 8 and there will be billboard advertising in Singapore for the collaboration in key locations such as Bugis Street, Chinatown Point and Orchard Gateway.
NewJeans, which made their debut in 2022, shot to fame with viral hits like Hype Boy (2022), Ditto (2022) and OMG (2023).
They have experienced a tumultuous year after their former producer Min Hee-jin, who was also the chief executive of their label Ador, had an ugly falling-out with Ador’s parent company Hybe.
The quintet have chosen to side with Min, defending her publicly and calling on Hybe to reinstate her as Ador’s chief executive. Hanni also accused Hybe staff of workplace discrimination after the scandal erupted.
NewJeans have not released new music since June, with plans for a new album reportedly stalled due to the ongoing conflict. Still, they have remained popular with brands, with fashion label Calvin Klein also tapping the group for its Fall 2024 campaign in September.
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