Seoul’s New Brand Announced Last Night
Well, it’s finally here. Last night, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced the city’s much-anticipated “new brand”. Earlier this year, the SMG launched a revamp of Seoul’s foreign tourism slogan; “Hi Seoul” was to be kyboshed in lieu of a newer, shinier model. Last week, the SMG published the top three contenders for Seoul’s new brand, much to the bemusement of pretty much everyone everywhere. Entries included the near nonsensical, “Seouling”; the uncomfortably presumptuous, “Seoul Mate”; and the all out baffling, “I. Seoul. U.”
Competition was fierce: Three slogans, each as ridiculous as the last, gripped in a ferocious battle to be crowned the least terrible tagline and Seoul’s new brand. All three entries started out in a sea of thousands of public submissions, next they were scrutinized by multiple Korean and foreign PR firms, and finally they were left to the mercy of an online vote. But only one could survive and at last, the SMG has announced the slogan most likely to entice foreigners into racing out to their local travel agent and booking flights to Seoul post-haste. Get your passport ready, because Seoul’s new brand is…
“I. Seoul. U.”
