Brand recognition plays big on stage

Can a concert become a brand name, with a clear concept of its audience differentiated by time, space and season? That is the idea behind a concert targeting lovers of autumn and its romantic days, and it is capturing the hearts of the younger generation.
The concert, “A Village with Snow Falling in October,” illustrates the ultimate brand performance, creating a cozy and romantic ambience. It will play at Yonsei University’s Nocheon Theater on Oct. 25 and 26, its fourth run since the show debuted in 1999. Its popularity is evident in that 70 percent of seats have been sold since they went on sale Sept. 15.
As in 2001, the actors Lee So-ra, Sun Si-kyung and Park Hyo-shin are together onstage. For older viewers, this performance’s sentimental evocation of love and romance is likely to cause goose bumps.
Before the shows begin, fans post personal love stories on the Web at www.first snow.net. The personal confessions are projected on a screen during the show. Special effects include machine-made white fluff to simulate a first snowfall, and a pretty postcard contest. This concert is definitely cute.
Kim Hong-gi with the planning firm Good Concert says, “It is not an exaggeration to say that couples have been formed as a result of this concert. For young people, this is an essential dating experience.”
Concert attendees are given a glow-in-the-dark stick and an air cushion; both are provided free with the ticket, which costs from 44,000 won ($38) to 77,000 won. Call 02-1544-0737 for details.
Korea’s foremost modern rock band, Deli Spice, will be performing at the newest brand show, “Legend of the Fall” along with the funk bands, Bulldog Mansion, Panic and Gigs. Its one-time showing is Oct. 18 at 6:30 pm, at the Dome Art Hall in Children’s Grand Park. “With the growing popularity of a five-day work week, this is a good time to create new brand performances by young musicians,” says Kim Woong of Palette, the concert planner. Tickets are 50,000 for those who buy in advance and 60,000 for same-day purchases. For more information, call 02-1544-1555, 1588-7890.
“Autumn Picnic With the Zoo” is another leading brand show. When it was held at the Yongmunsan outdoor stage in Yangpyeong, eastern Gyeonggi province, last year, tickets sold out two weeks before the show.
This year’s concert, which took place this month, was also a success. A 50,000-won ticket bought one entrance, transportation, a bowl of bibimbap (rice mixed with vegetables) and a can of beer. Concert planner Song Eun-jeong of Cell International said the show was intended for those who needed to get out of the city and “get a breath of fresh air.”

by Lee Eun-ju