Why Skechers thinks K-pop star Cha Eun-Woo can help lure youths in Asia

Global shoe brand Skechers has revealed that K-pop idol Cha Eun-woo as its new regional brand ambassador in an attempt to attract a younger customer profile, and position itself as a leader in comfort technology footwear.

The partnership will cover seven key Asia Pacific markets for Skechers, namely, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. As part of the Asian rollout, Cha will appear in several marketing campaigns including those such as Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins, Skechers Sport Court, Skechers Foamies, Skechers Workout Walker, and Skechers Apparel (Lifestyle & Performance).

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The new campaign, which focuses on celebrating authenticity and being confident and comfortable with who you are, is set to boost Skechers’ brand recognition as they follow in the footsteps of many successful brands by leveraging on the popularity of K-pop and K-Dramas in the region.

The campaign is set to run though the first and second quarters of 2023 and will run online, in print advertisements, out-of-home and more. Customers can also expect to see images of Cha at all physical stores.

“We have already seen success with our previous celebrity appointments with South Korean A-listers, and we believe that continuing to partner with relevant and multi-talented idols from South Korea who are aligned with the image and personality of Skechers will allow our consumers to relate to our brand in their daily lives,” said Zann Lee, the managing director of Skechers Southeast Asia when MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out.

“We are happy and excited to have Cha as our new regional brand ambassador. His innate likeability, boyish demeanor, and personable disposition make him a perfect fit to front Skechers’ campaigns,” added Lee. Lee added that Cha’s youthful image will help to attract a new younger demographic to Skechers, and he will be the consummate model to showcase the style factor of Skechers footwear and apparel.   

David Weinberg, chief operating officer of Skechers also added that Skechers “believes in investing to reach new consumers, maximise the business and further establish the brand as a leader in innovative comfort footwear”. As such, having the well-known and much liked personality such as Cha as a brand ambassador across many key Asian markets is a testament to the brand’s belief in ongoing growth opportunities in this region.

Cha’s appointment as brand ambassador comes on the heels of a slew of notable collaborations the brand has with recognisable faces. Last year, the footwear brand tapped on Samuel Lau as its latest work shoes promotion campaign representative for the Hong Kong market. Lau is well known for his humility and like-able nature and has often been compared to boyband Mirror’s member Anson Kong in his appearance.  

In his collaboration, Lau is seen wearing the brand’s working trainers at his store in Tsuen Wan wet market. According to a Skechers press release at that time, the brand aims to bring every user a comfortable walking experience, which is why it picked Lau as its ambassador- as he has to endure long hours of standing in his job to satisfying the needs of his consumers at the butchery. As such, Skechers believes Lau needs a pair of slip resistant and comfortable working shoes, to minimise the chance of getting accidents and reduce muscle fatigue.

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