– Wadiz: Turning Familiar IP into “Best-Selling Products”… Reborn as New Products—Such as Tableware and Tech Items—That Incorporate IP
– Continued interest from users in the U.S., Japan, Singapore, and other countries… Confirming the potential for global expansion of IP merchandise
– Supporters’ Choices Demonstrate the Potential of “IP × Product” Combinations… Creating New Commercialization Opportunities for Brands and Manufacturers
Wadiz(CEO Shin Hye-sung, www.wadiz.kr) announced that merchandise featuring brand IPs has been consistently achieving high funding results. Wadiz According to internal data, the cumulative funding raised by brand and character IP merchandise over the past two years has reached approximately 10.7 billion won. Among these, F&B projects—which reinterpret familiar food packaging into new products such as tableware and tech gadgets—stand out. The cumulative funding for these projects has exceeded 3.4 billion won.
Recently, there has been a noticeable trend of combining the shapes and colors of packaging familiar to consumers with the functions of new products. IP elements that instantly bring a brand to mind are being used as a starting point for creating entirely different products, such as tableware, power banks, and chargers.
A prime example is Idoonhwa’s “5-Piece Banana-Flavored Milk Porcelain Tableware Set,” which reinterprets the iconic container design of Binggrae’s banana-flavored milk as porcelain tableware. Before the project was unveiled, pre-registrations exceeded 24,000, and the campaign raised 650 million won. Pre-registrations also poured in from users in the U.S., Japan, Singapore, and other countries, confirming global interest.
The combination of F&B brand IP and tech products is also proving successful. A project that reimagined Haitai Ice’s “Ssangssangba” as a portable charger raised 680 million won in its first funding round and went on to secure a second round. A product that reinterpreted Haitai’s “Buttering” as a MagSafe charger also raised 420 million won. Brands such as Oyes, Cham Bungeoppang, and Wafer have also been reborn as tech products, and the “Dongwon Tuna Power Bank,” set to be unveiled on September 17, has attracted over 8,500 people who have signed up for notifications so far.
Wadiz...believes this trend presents an opportunity for brands and manufacturers to expand the scope of existing IP merchandising. By introducing new applications for familiar brand IP—such as packaging design and characters—to the market first, and then observing which “IP × product” combinations resonate with consumers through their choices, companies can use that insight to develop follow-up products or expand into new categories.
Wadiz An official said, “As familiar brands reemerge with unexpected products, supporters are rediscovering their tastes and enjoying the pleasure of making new choices,” adding, “For brands and manufacturers, this can serve as an opportunity to expand the appeal of existing IP into new product lines and create new sales opportunities. We hope these efforts will inspire a wider range of brands and manufacturers to follow suit.”
