[Article] 230406

"I just want it." That laptop that NewJeans is holding.

Interview with the person in charge of product planning, design, and marketing for 'LG Gram' in 2023.
Instead of focusing on the laptop,
Stimulating the desire to collect emotions from customers
Starting with product design, meticulously
Collaborate with popular idol NewJeans
200 limited editions sold out in 6 minutes
Give me various accessories.

At the pop-up store "Gram Style Lab" located in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, models are experiencing fashion styling that matches recommended clothes by famous stylists with the New Jin's edition of the 2023 gram new product "LG Gram Style." [Photo provided = LG Electronics]

"I don't need it, I just want it."

This is what LG Electronics' working-level officials cited as the most impressive customer feedback on the newly introduced "Style" lineup to mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of the ultra-light laptop brand "Gram." They said, "Before, when talking about laptops, we focused only on functions by saying, 'It's improved from the previous work,'" and added, "I was proud that this product stimulated customers' most basic desire to keep."
LG Gram Style' is a product that maximizes sophisticated design while maintaining its identity as an ultra-light premium laptop. Gorilla glass material, which changes colors according to the angle of light, has been applied to its exterior, while it is the first in the Gram series to have an OLED display.

Among them, LG Electronics has released 200 limited editions of the girl group "NewJeans," which is the most popular among Generation Z. The rabbit design, the symbol of New Jin's, was applied to components including the body of the style product, mouse, and pouch. Amid keen attention even before its release, sales were carried out on LG Electronics' online brand shop live broadcast "Ella Show" on the 1st. As a result, a total of 200 units were sold in six minutes. The "Big Bunny" product was sold out first in three minutes.

According to LG Electronics, the cumulative number of views exceeded 70,000 at the time, which is unusual for its online mall. Advertising content produced in collaboration with Newzins also ranked 33rd in YouTube's popularity surge just two days after posting. The new introduction of the style lineup was influenced by the changed customer's voice (VoC). Hwang Yoon-hee, head of the PC product planning team, said, "We conduct customer surveys every year when planning products," adding, "We found that customers tend to pursue emotional satisfaction as well as rational practicality." LG Electronics concluded that in order to satisfy the new demand of customers who pursue emotions, it should give variations in product design first.

In order to differentiate the design of laptop computers, colors can be diversified or graphic elements can be added. LG Electronics first paid attention to 'materials'. This is why gorilla glass was used for the first time among Gram products. Han Kyung-tae, head of the IT design team at BS Design (Yeon), said, "I thought it would be good if the color changed slightly to match Gram's minimal and simple identity," adding, "We applied Aurora white color for emotional appeal."

The "image" pursued by the two brands was effective in the limited edition collaboration with NewJeans. The group name NewJeans is known to contain the ambition to become an icon of a new era like jeans that you find every day and never get tired of wearing them. Park Ha-eun, a senior member of the PC marketing team, stressed, "Gram also wanted to show new values while being loved for 10 years for consistent values." He added, "We have planned a variety of goods that customers will be satisfied with, from laptop devices as well as accessories to posters."

From the left, Park Ha-eun was appointed to the PC marketing team, Hwang Yoon-hee was responsible for the PC product planning team, and Han Kyung-tae was responsible for the BS design team.

NewJeans' signature of "Rabbit," which is easy to use in various artwork, also served as a background for collaboration. The NewJeans symbol "Bunny" engraved on the cover is not printed, but etched on glass (a technology that removes unused parts by corrosion and puts patterns). This is why the graphics are not erased and give a luxurious feeling. Various details also attract attention. It is equipped with three wallpapers featuring members of NewJeans, as well as a desktop icon containing the retro sensibility of NewJeans. Senior Park explained, "We tried to provide emotional satisfaction as a 'praise' worth keeping beyond simple information technology (IT) devices."

The pop-up store "Gram Style Lab," which was operated in Seongsu-dong, Seoul for about a week after its launch, was also a new marketing attempt. At the select shop in collaboration with the fashion platform Musinsa, famous stylist Park Mi-kyung wore a costume recommended by famous stylist Park Mi-kyung and allowed customers to match the Gram style like fashion accessories and try styling themselves. LG Electronics believes that the meaning of "light laptop" is expanding. It is analyzed that absolute weight is important, but it should be able to provide a simple lifestyle.

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