Jeju United showcases sports win-win marketing that breaks boundaries.
Jeju created an unusual (?) scene on and off the field during its Hana OneQ K League 1 2023 Round 22 home match (0-0 draw) against Gwangju FC at Jeju World Cup Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 11. To celebrate the success of the 10th Jeju Samdasu Masters (Aug. 3-6), we have prepared various events that combine soccer and golf.
The tournament organizer, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation, is a public corporation of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province established to promote the welfare of the people of Jeju Island and produces and sells branded products unique to Jeju, including Jeju Samdasu, the No. 1 brand in the domestic bottled water industry. The corporation also strives to expand sports in Jeju. Every year, it organizes a selection tournament for local golfers, giving local golf prospects and professionals a chance to compete in the Jeju Samdasu Masters.
The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation is also the 12th most dedicated Jeju player. Jeju has always had a close working relationship with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Development Authority, and this year they signed a business agreement at the team’s home game against Pohang on Saturday, May 6. Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to maximize synergies and identify and implement various activities for social contribution in Jeju. Jeju’s efforts on the field that day were also about coexistence and communication with sponsors, and the convergence and exchange of sports culture.
It is not a showcase event. It captured the hearts of fans with its sincere composition and novel planning. Prior to the kickoff, a demonstration event to wish the 10th Jeju Samdasu Masters a successful event was held with professional Yang A-yeon, who has won prizes in the Jeju Sports Talent Development Program, and amateur players such as Lee Sion, 안전놀이터 Kim Soo-bin, and Lee Da-kyung. Song Hyung-kwan, director of planning at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation, participated in the Samdasu Masters boat putting game at the outside plaza, adding to the sincerity of the event.
At halftime, the “Jeju United Foot Putting King!” event was held on the Jeju World Cup Stadium field. The winner of the event, who kicked the ball from a set location and sent it closest to the target, was crowned as the Jeju United Foot Putting King. The first prize was a Tamline pork set worth 100,000 won, and the second and third prizes were hotel vouchers for Kikoen Ilaein. Even before the tournament started, there were many inquiries and applications for participation. In particular, most of the events on the day were participatory programs, giving customers a meaningful time to experience new areas of interest and imprint their memories on the experience.
This is another challenge for Jeju, which has been trying to drive fan interest with ‘targeted marketing’ that breaks the existing mold and blurs the boundaries of areas, such as ‘school tour group recruitment viewing’, ‘in-stadium career counseling’, ‘group shuttle bus operation’, and ‘Ohjeong gimbap + admission ticket + MD gift certificate package product’ this season. A Jeju official said, “As the only professional sports team on Jeju Island, we decided that it was necessary to make efforts to break down the boundaries between the tournament organizer and sponsor, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation, not only to hold home games but also to expand the base of sports in Jeju. We hope that these efforts will lead to the development of a regional win-win sports