[Dong-A Ilbo] [2025 KCAB Korea Consumer Evaluation Best Brand Award] “Build Intimacy, Empathy, and Bonds”… Management Techniques That Captivate Consumers

https://www.donga.com/news/Economy/article/all/20250304/131133888/2

[2025 Korea Consumer Evaluation Best Brand Award]
'2025 KCAB' 57... 'Favorite' brands that formed fandoms in one place
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# HiteJinro's flagship beer brand, 'Terra', sold like hotcakes, surpassing 5 billion bottles in cumulative sales at the end of last year.

# Chong Kun Dang Health & Medical's customized skin care cosmetic 'Cleiderm' has been heating up SNS and communities as a 'good value item', surpassing 250,000 cumulative sales in just one month since it first entered Daiso in December of last year.

Since its launch, # Korea Hoya Lens' 'Myosmart' lens has become an important choice for controlling myopia in children and adolescents among 5 million parents around the world.

Consumers these days are not easy. They can't stand being a 'fool', even if they are 'fans' themselves. They don't give high scores simply because the quality is good. They open their wallets only when they can relate to the values, beliefs, and social and environmental messages contained in the brand. If they have a 'feel' for a product, they even form a fandom and support the brand without hesitation.

Affinity for a brand leads to repeat purchases, and loyalty is built in the process. Loyal customers benefit the company and the brand by recommending the brand they have chosen to others. On the other hand, even if they like a brand, if they fail to form affinity, they will immediately switch. Companies will continue to encounter new fans and antis at the same time.

The power of a brand is demonstrated when it penetrates the needs of smart consumers and creates a sense of connection and empathy. A strong brand clearly appeals to those who experience it through emotional connection.

In an environment overflowing with numerous brands, the Dong-A Ilbo selected brands that form an emotional bond with consumers and deliver value beyond quality.

The '2025 Korea Consumer Agency Best Brand (KCAB) Awards Ceremony' will be held on the 5th after evaluating the value of brands by sector together with consumers and expert groups for about two months starting in December of last year. This year, for the 9th year, 57 brands were selected from various sectors including home appliances, housing, finance, education, and distribution.

Shinhan Bank has maintained its top spot as the best brand in the PB (private banking) service sector for nine consecutive years in the Korea Consumer Agency’s evaluation with its representative asset management brand, ‘Shinhan Premier.’

Organic sanitary pads 'Organic Bon' and Daejeon Chungnam Pig Farmers' Association's 'Porkville Grape-Eating Pig' have won the grand prize for 8 consecutive years.

The nation's first urban fashion town 'Mario Outlet' and men's clothing brand 'Parkland' each won the honor for 7 consecutive years. 'Ringle', a 1:1 video English service with Ivy League tutors, took the top spot for 6 consecutive years.

LG Electronics' system air conditioner 'Whisen', the world's number one beauty brand 'L'Oréal Paris', Hite Jinro's 'Terra', Woomtree's 'Meat and Raw Wasabi Rang' (spice preparation product), and junior street brand 'Ice Biscuit' (children's clothing) were selected as award-winning brands for five consecutive years.

Genesis's 'BBQ' (chicken franchise) and 'Kyowon Life' mutual aid service, L'Oréal Korea's 'La Roche-Posay' (sensitive skin daily care), Mozen International's 'Gifel' (small home appliances), Fine Today's 'Senka' (cleansing), and Most X's 'Lukins' (premium home beauty device) continued their winning streak for three consecutive years.

Oku's 'Washing King Soymilk Maker' with improved hygiene through blade separation and washing, KT's 'Hi Order' (table order), The Our Shop's online shopping mall 'Our Shop' (e-commerce/shopping mall), Most X's 'Curely' (personal low-frequency stimulator), aesthetic cosmetics brand 'Eclado' (medical cosmetics), and C&K's eco-friendly food packaging material '247 Pack' (daily necessities) have won the grand prize for two consecutive years.

The 34 brands that joined the ranks of first-time award winners this year include Samsung C&T Construction Group's next-generation residential living platform 'Homenic' and building platform 'Bind', LG Uplus' growth care platform 'Parent Country', Amorepacific's 'Mamonde', KT's 'Euratchacha Package', the nation's shoe 'Crocs', Chong Kun Dang Health & Medical's 'Blood Circulation Health Promega', Korea Herbalife, global aesthetics company Classys' 'Volnumer', and AbbVie Korea's 'Juvederm' and 'Skinvibe'.




The Dong-A Ilbo presents the Korea Consumer Evaluation Best Brand Award to select the best brands in each industry based on consumer evaluations, provide consumers with information for brand selection, and spread brand management know-how and secure the competitiveness of exemplary brands.

To this end, Dong-A Ilbo went through a rigorous three-stage screening process. In the first stage, a preliminary survey of brands by industry group was conducted, and in the second stage, the award candidates were evaluated based on pre-selected evaluation criteria. Finally, the judges, consisting of brand experts, comprehensively evaluated the award candidates based on brand strategy, brand satisfaction, and brand performance to determine the final candidates. As a result, 57 brands were awarded grand prizes in each category at this awards ceremony.

The brands that are winning today have set a standard for long-term, consistent brand management. It is very difficult to become a top brand, but it is even more difficult to maintain the status of a top brand. What is the secret to maintaining the status of a top brand for a long time? To find out the secret, let's think about the pitfalls that the best cannot avoid.

First, the best brands tend to become complacent and want to stay in the current market situation. The first trap is to expect to be number one while maintaining the current market situation. The number one brand must lead the change in the market. It must innovate its products or services to open up new markets or secure new competitive dimensions. Otherwise, it will give opportunities to latecomers and lose its market leadership.

Second, you should not fall into the arrogance of being number one. If you become number one, you may fall into the illusion that you can do everything. Arrogant brands do not maintain their position for long. Instead, number one brands should think about what they can do to repay the consumers who have chosen them with a humble heart.

Third, we must be careful about moral decay. Recently, there have been many problems caused by CEOs or companies. This is the result of managers becoming arrogant while resting on their own success. The rapidly changing business environment with cutting-edge technology demands that brands go beyond the best performance or quality and manage brand quality. Brand quality can only be formed through honest and humble management. The profits that companies create come from the pockets of consumers. Therefore, the profits created must be invested to provide better value to consumers.

Recently, the Korean economy has been showing a very unstable appearance due to internal and external uncertainties. In such a time, I hope that the companies that received awards this year will further enhance the completeness of the value they provide to customers through innovation and creativity, and deliver new joy and excitement to customers.