Brands or brand images that are formed and accumulated according to the corporations' advertising objectives are the first element that consumers consider when determining purchase targets at point of purchase or just before they purchase. These branded products and related images associated with the idea are core targets for corporations to convey to consumers. These efforts help corporations not only pursue their profit goals but also promote corporate image and preference, eventually wielding great influence on all corporate activities and survival.
In the past, Korea's construction industry benefited greatly from dependence on their parent company brands and the halo of existing corporate names thus gaining a measure of reliability that appeals to all consumers. Recently, however, integrated brands that are either individual or independent, which surpass fashion expectations in terms of diversity and freshness, are appearing steadily. Underlying this phenomenon is the fact that construction products themselves are not greatly different among competitors in physical nature, and it is easy to copy new technologies. Moreover, modern consumer life patterns and needs are diversifying more than ever This phenomenon is seen as the result of corporations that are recognizing the importance of brand building and are responding to this call. As such, winning in all marketing communication activities, including advertising, is deemed achievable only by means of brand images that are formed and recognized by consumers.
Currently, many construction brands are heavily competing as they uphold residential and cultural innovations, hype sophisticated residential functions, and have human-oriented or environment-friendly requirements as well as premium and fashion sense. Since Korean consumers have great confidence in and preference for large corporations, and since products of apartments are high-priced, however, consumers tend to search for pertinent information about the product first to minimize their purchase risks. Thus, corporate brands are the most important factor in determining consumer purchase.
Considering these situational problems, this research sought to analyze Korean construction companies' integrated brand advertisements reflected in TV commercials, thereby suggesting how the construction industry's integrated brand advertising as a means of advertising and communication can fit into the reality and situation of Korea's advertising market. The research will then proceed in a positive and developmental direction toward expression strategies. Likewise, the findings aim to provide the basic direction in formulating advertising expression strategies in conducting brand communications for base people engaged in advertising. Toward this end, the research reviewed comprehensive theories on brands and studied the status of foreign integrated brands as well as domestic related cases by business. The research also sought to conduct an in-depth analysis of domestic construction brands' TV commercials from launch to execution, address problems, and create solutions aimed at studying expression strategies.
Findings indicate that the wave of integrated brands in the construction industry began in the latter part of the 1990s. This brought about many positive ripple effects such as the activation of individual brands or independent brands communications, expansion of brand application among corporations, boost in consumer recognition, and successful allotments. On the other hand, construction advertisements featured big models thus failing to secure great differentiation among competitors and focusing instead on conveying ambiguous and abstract images, which left consumers feeling dazed or confused. Across society, while apartments aim for sophistication and premium trends brought about by the availability of deregulation of apartment prices, consumers were made to feel a sense of incompatibility. Real estate speculation was rampant, and this created many problems. The findings indicate that most construction companies preferred to use four major media, and their dependence on newspapers and TV in particular was great. Recently, this trend has been changing a lot due to Internet advertising, expansion of customer-contact point promotion, and customer relationship management approaches. Nonetheless, they are required to have a positive and active attitude in order to develop new media. Likewise, in terms of quality in crafting advertising, recent advertisements with outstanding artwork, which was made possible by computer graphics and other developed design technology, are far superior to those in the past hence giving us some consolation.
Many opinions are presented about fine advertisements as well as good advertising conditions. Nonetheless, good advertising should yield good repercussions in terms of the individual consumer's emotion across society while simultaneously bringing a lot of earnings to corporations. Such advertising should be excellent in expression strategies, including creative work or marketing strategies. Visual images are expressed mainly through moving images, photos, and pictures. In particular, no one can dispute that visual images play an important role in drawing people's interest to advertisements and boosting their recognition and memory. From the current viewpoint, however, the view that advertisements alone can solve everything is not fairly acceptable.
Advertising to improve brand recognition should now shift from fine/creative advertisements appealing momentarily to the consumer's eyes and ears to integrated brand communication-based advertisements that involve the proper use of other communication means according to periods and phases, thereby triggering customers' direct and immediate behavior.