In a surprising twist within the marketing landscape, Hyundai Motor has teamed up with the beloved character 'Catch! Teenieping' to create a unique promotional campaign aimed at families. This collaboration is part of Hyundai's ongoing 'Youth Adventure' exhibition, showcasing the electric car, the Ioniq, adorned with Teenieping characters, making it appealing to both children and their parents.
During the event, children were seen enjoying the colorful Ioniq, which features the playful Teenieping characters. "It was fun to play with the car. The colors are pretty, and it’s cute because Teenieping is on it," said one young attendee, Jan Seon-soo from Dongtan, Gyeonggi Province.
Hyundai's brand communication team manager, Oh Seok-hyun, expressed that this collaboration is designed to resonate with not just the younger generation but also with millennials who are now parents. "We expect to reach not only future generations but also the Z generation and millennial parents through this collaboration with a character that holds social and cultural influence," he stated.
In addition to the Ioniq showcase, a spin-off video featuring Teenieping characters racing in a Hyundai car has been released, marking the first time such a blend of corporate branding and animated storytelling has been attempted.
Im Chung-bin, head of the marketing division at SAMG Entertainment, highlighted the synergy between the innocent identity of Teenieping and Hyundai's branding goals. "We were able to collaborate on this special project because the identity of Teenieping aligns with Hyundai's needs. We hope to continue creating brand collaborations that provide joyful experiences for all family members," he said.
The trend of unusual partnerships is not limited to Hyundai. CJ CheilJedang has also entered the fray, launching a collaboration product with SAMG Entertainment's 'Catch! Teenieping'. Their new offering, the 'Snack Cell & Catch! Teenieping Surprise Box', features eight fruit jellies and a randomly selected Teenieping character keyring. Pre-sales began on April 28, 2025, via KakaoTalk Gift Giving and are now available at CJ CheilJedang's official online mall, CJ The Market.
The packaging of the Surprise Box is designed to be interactive, allowing children to assemble a three-dimensional 'Teenieping room' from the box, enhancing the play experience. This innovative approach not only caters to children's desires for play but also encourages parents to consider purchasing the product. A CJ CheilJedang representative remarked, "We aimed to provide a special gift experience by combining characters that children love with popular snacks."
Moreover, CJ CheilJedang is set to introduce Snack Cell jelly products featuring Teenieping characters in major offline retail chains this May. The product lineup will include three types of cup jelly (peach, pineapple apple, pear) and three types of water jelly (orange, peach, grape).
In a related development, Shoemaker has launched a limited edition of four types of Teenieping children's shoes, which became available on April 29, 2025. An event zone dedicated to Teenieping has been set up at Incheon Square One Shoemarker Plus to celebrate the release.
Additionally, the startup Grami is making waves with its unmanned smart shops, where a special event is being held throughout May 2025. Customers can enjoy a 10% discount on 'Catch! Teenieping' products (excluding figures) and receive random gifts with the purchase of popular figures. These smart shops are located in various places, including SRT Suseo, SRT Dongtan, Yeongdeungpo Times Square, NC Pyeongchon, CGV Yeouido, and Ball Bear Park.
Grami’s initiative aims to create special memories for customers while enhancing the convenience of 24-hour non-face-to-face transactions through its unmanned store service. A representative from Grami stated, "We planned this event to provide customers with special memories and satisfaction, and we will continue to hold various enjoyable events in the future."
As the trend of collaboration between brands and child-friendly characters continues to grow, companies are finding innovative ways to engage with families, creating memorable experiences that resonate with both children and their parents. With the rise of such partnerships, the marketing landscape is evolving, focusing on creating joyful and interactive experiences for consumers.
