This photo from Kakao Bank shows its debit cards.
SEOUL, June 2 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean financial companies are beefing up efforts to foster their own characters based on judgment that they would help attract more customers.
Among the characters that are famous in the banking industry is Shinhan Bank’s polar bear “SOL,” designed based on the motif of the Little Bear that served as a guide for sailors.
KB Kookmin Bank developed “Star Friends” that consists of five different characters — Kiki (rabbit), Ager (duck), Bibi (bear), Lamu (lama) and Coli (broccoli).
Woori Bank’s character “Wibee” is based on the concept of a honeybee, meaning that it will strive to become a fast-moving and diligent bank like a honeybee.
The background behind the financial companies’ desire to foster their own characters is the success of leading internet-only lender Kakao Bank’s soft landing in the financial market, which has been attributed in part to its Kakao Friends characters that are familiar with bank customers.
In addition, these characters can be used for a variety of purposes, from decorating bankbooks to financial products and application designs. In addition, unlike famous celebrities, they have no “private life risk.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
