[On Site] Highball ‘NÜTRL’ Sells Laughter, While I Drink It
Seongsu-dong Transformed by ‘NÜTRL’… Experiencing ‘Smile Thru’ and the Emart24 Flagship Store
Canadian vodka highball RTD brand ‘NÜTRL’ has entered the Korean market. The brand has been hosting a series of events in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong and Hongdae areas, seeking to imprint its signature smile, represented by the “Ü,” in consumers’ minds.
NÜTRL is a zero-sugar highball RTD made with vodka and lemon concentrate. Launched in Canada in 2017, the brand was introduced to Korea by OB Beer at the end of July. It is available in two can sizes, 330ml and 473ml, with an alcohol content of 7%.
‘SMILE THRU’ Takes a Drive-Thru Approach
NÜTRL held its ‘SMILE THRU’ experiential event in Seongsu-dong on Aug. 15 and 16. The event adopted a drive-thru format, allowing visitors to move in one direction and experience various content, similar to ordering at a drive-thru café or fast-food restaurant.
Upon entering, visitors had to face a smile-recognition screen. The door opened when the system detected a smiling face. Visitors then received a sample of NÜTRL from a staff member inside a food truck-style booth. They were also given a discount coupon for purchasing NÜTRL through a convenience store smart-ordering app, along with a voucher for a NÜTRL-exclusive glass at the Seongsu branch of Dalmaji Square BBQ.
Turning left led visitors to the ‘SMILE ÜP’ photo zone. A convex traffic mirror, similar to those commonly seen on narrow streets, was installed overhead. Visitors were encouraged to smile at the mirror and take photos with their smartphones, then upload them to their Instagram Stories or feed while tagging NÜTRL’s official Instagram account. Staff checked the posts at the next booth, after which visitors could choose between a smile sleeve and a NÜTRL-exclusive glass as a giveaway.
The final stop was a spacious standing-table area where visitors could relax and enjoy NÜTRL.
Pop-Up Zone at Emart24’s Trend Lab Seongsu
About a minute away from the NÜTRL SMILE THRU event, the Emart24 flagship store ‘Trend Lab Seongsu’ was also visited. The convenience store has been transformed into a NÜTRL pop-up zone, which will operate through Sept. 13.
The entrance and exterior glass walls immediately stand out, featuring NÜTRL imagery along with lemon and smile illustrations. Foreign tourists were seen taking photos against images of boy group SEVENTEEN members S.Coups and Mingyu, who serve as NÜTRL’s advertising models. The two are also active as the hip-hop unit CxM.
Inside the store, the brand’s ‘SMILE ÜP’ campaign imagery is displayed alongside installations featuring NÜTRL cans and a mirror photo zone.
The pop-up zone also features a merchandise giveaway. Customers who purchase at least one 330ml or 473ml can of NÜTRL receive an exclusive handheld fan. Customers who purchase four or more cans of the same size can receive a NÜTRL-exclusive glass on a first-come, first-served basis.