SK TELECOM | BE THE REDS CAMPAIGN IN 2002 FIFA WORLD CUP | 2003
The Red T-Shirt That Painted a Whole Country One Color / SK TELECOM "Be the Reds"
In 2002, the entire country of South Korea turned red. This ad gave birth to the phrase "Be the Reds," which was printed on T-shirts, worn by 7 million people in the streets, and sparked a historic wave of fan culture that drew in 20% of the population.
The problem
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the first ever held in Asia, co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. The South Korean national team was backed by an official supporters' club called the "Red Devils," and carried the weight of the whole nation's hopes on their shoulders.
The idea
SK Telecom built its campaign around one simple message: "Be the Reds." The logo was placed on red T-shirts in white brush-stroke lettering, and the company deliberately chose not to trademark or copyright it. That meant anyone could freely copy and distribute it, which was the key to its explosive spread.
What happened
Street cheering became a symbol of South Korean soccer culture, and the tradition carried on for years after 2003. The campaign won a GOLD award.
Afterthought
Erasing the brand's own logo and handing it over to the people. There's a paradox in that: the more a brand lets go, the more powerfully it gets remembered. I watched this ad become something bigger than advertising itself, it became culture.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2003
