SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has rebranded its experiential duty-free shopping showroom under the name Now in Myeong-dong.
Originally named LDF House, the store was launched in October last year to revitalise Myeong-dong, a popular commercial district in Seoul (and home since 1980 to Lotte Duty Free’s flagship store), and create a new tourist attraction while driving duty-free spending.
The travel retailer has also unveiled the store’s new visual identity, inspired by street signages in the district. The store logo features English and Chinese characters to cater to international customers as the retailer aims to make Now in Myeong-dong a tourist landmark in the country.
To promote the rebranding Lotte Duty Free presented an array of merchandise, including shopping bags, iPhone cases, GripTok and stickers, on the third floor of the store.
In addition, the travel retailer has launched its ‘employencer’ (a combination of ‘employee’ and ‘influencer’) campaign to allow its executives and employees to directly promote Now in Myeong-dong.
The employees serve as brand ambassadors, producing content for various social media platforms, including the Now in Myeong-dong Instagram page.
To add further allure to the rebranded store, Lotte Duty Free has introduced a Bellygom pop-up located on the first and second floors. The concept features a photo booth and products based on the pink YouTube K-character popular among the MZ generation. The pop-up runs until 31 May.
The retailer is also inviting customers to board the Bellygom-designed hot air balloon-shaped lift located on the rooftop.
Now in Myeong-dong is open all year round from 11am to 8pm.
Lotte Duty Free Head of New Growth Business Division Nam Gung-pyo said: “The ultimate goal is to make Now in Myeong-dong, which has been rebranded this time, a tourist landmark in Myeong-dong. Lotte Duty Free will continue to select various marketing strategies that can improve the travel experience of multinational tourists in Korea.”
To strengthen its status as one of the leading global travel retailers, Lotte Duty Free has established a growth business division and welcomed key new hires this year.
As reported, the company also joined the annual fashion trade show Coterie New York in February where it secured 50 export contracts, with a total consultation amount surpassing US$200,000.
Furthermore, the travel retailer is in the process of upgrading its Ginza Japan Direct Purchase online store and overseas shipping, which is available to foreign customers outside South Korea. ✈
