To resolve double-parking conflicts at apartments, PlugLink introduced Park O'Clock, encouraging residents to share departure times. This innovative initiative not only tackled double-parking but also significantly elevated the brand's positive perception. Distributing 2,000 Park O'Clock units didn't just address parking challenges but also showcased the brand on 2,000 vehicles, reaching a broad audience of apartment residents. By catering to both electric and traditional vehicle owners, PlugLink garnered extensive support, positioning Park O'Clock as a highly valuable campaign for directly communicating the brand's values to customers.

"In South Korea, double parking is a widespread issue, causing anger, missed appointments, and emotional stress. From 2019 to 2021, around 4,700 accidents were linked to illegal parking due to limited spaces. Complaints related to illegal parking on private property surged from 8,450 cases in 2010 to 3.14 million cases in 2020.

As a relatively new player in the EV charger market, Pluglink aimed to tackle this issue creatively while increasing brand awareness. The growing number of EV charging stations in apartment blocks further reduced available parking spaces, leading to frustration towards EV owners and the electrification of cars. We devised the Park o'Clock concept for Pluglink to alleviate parking concerns and foster a positive perception of EV adoption. The campaign's objective was to present an innovative solution that addressed the parking scarcity problem and improved the company's brand image in the process."

"Understanding the cultural context of South Korea is essential to appreciate the impact of the Park o'Clock campaign. In dense urban centers, double parking has become a common yet frustrating issue. Korean drivers often display their contact numbers on the windshield, allowing other drivers to call them if they've been blocked by double parking. However, this system is not foolproof, as some drivers may be unreachable, leading to delays and increased stress.

South Koreans value respect and cooperation, which are integral to maintaining social harmony. The Park o'Clock campaign resonated with the public by addressing these cultural values, offering a practical solution that facilitates better communication and understanding among drivers. By acknowledging and addressing these deeply rooted cultural norms and behaviors, the Park o'Clock campaign was perceived as a thoughtful and considerate approach to solving a ubiquitous problem that affects the daily lives of millions in South Korea.

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"The creative idea behind Park o'Clock was to address the double parking issue in South Korea by embracing it as a solution rather than treating it as a problem. As parking spaces became increasingly scarce due to the growth in the number of cars and the addition of EV charging stations, Pluglink introduced the Park o'Clock to facilitate worry-free double parking. This simple device allowed residents to display their parking duration and departure time on their cars. When parking spaces ran out, other residents could glance at the clock to determine each car's departure time, allowing them to double-park without concern.

The campaign used a bold, counterintuitive approach to transform a common annoyance into an innovative solution, driving public interest and engagement. Through captivating storytelling and a strategic PR campaign, the Park o'Clock generated widespread attention and contributed to increased brand awareness and business growth for Pluglink."

"The strategy for Park o'Clock hinged on a creative solution to double parking, resonating with South Koreans frustrated by the issue. Targeting urban apartment dwellers, the campaign emphasized Park o'Clock as an innovative, considerate solution that facilitated better communication among drivers.

The distribution of assets was designed to maximize visibility and impact. The brand film was released on YouTube and Instagram, followed by influencer collaborations with popular YouTubers. Twitter and Instagram posts amplified the message, and a newsletter reached a large audience. The campaign's organic and paid viral reach through blogs and online forums further increased engagement.

By tapping into the target audience's emotions and cultural values, Park o'Clock's PR strategy successfully positioned Pluglink as a solution-driven, innovative brand in the South Korean market, boosting awareness and reputation.

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The execution of the Park o'Clock campaign was carefully planned and implemented over a six-week period. It started with the launch of the brand film on YouTube and Instagram, followed by promoted content on Instagram and Twitter, and collaborations with three YouTubers who shared branded content with their audience. A newsletter was sent out to over 430,000 recipients, and both organic and paid viral promotions were executed across online blogging platforms.

In an online event, we put 2000 units on offer and received more than 5000 requests. This well-coordinated execution ensured that the campaign's message resonated with the target audience and the earned media value went far beyond the brand’s expectations, making Park o’Clock the biggest Direct campaign in the brand’s history.

Business Outcomes: Search volume for Pluglink on NAVER (Korea's most popular search engine) grew by an average of 690% between December 2022 and February 2023. The number of sales of charging stations increased almost 9 fold, from 1,397 units sold in Q1 2022 to 9,109 units sold in Q1 2023. The campaign created additional parking space equivalent to 4 soccer fields, reducing frustration towards EV owners and electrification in general. The Park o'Clock campaign positively influenced Pluglink's reputation, contributing to its growth in the EV charging station market."

Target Audience: The campaign successfully increased brand awareness by 60% across Korea (survey size of 5669). The Park o'Clock concept was well-received, with more than 5000 requests received for the initial production run of 2000 units and over 30,000 interactions. Viewers consistently found the clock a fun and inventive way to address a real problem.

"The cultural insight that inspired Park o'Clock is deeply rooted in South Korea's urban living conditions and the growing number of vehicles. With 60% of Koreans residing in apartment buildings, there is an average of 1.2 parking spaces per apartment, while each household owns around 2.5 cars—more than double the available parking spaces. This scarcity of parking leads to drivers resorting to double parking or occupying EV charging slots, further exacerbating the situation.

Park o'Clock addresses this cultural challenge by providing a practical solution that encourages responsible double parking, alleviating parking-related stress, and fostering a cooperative community spirit. By understanding the unique cultural context of South Korea and the limitations imposed by the prevalent apartment-living lifestyle, Pluglink has designed a product that not only solves a pressing issue but also demonstrates its commitment to improving the everyday lives of its target audience."