[Translation] "Companies Around the World Are Coveting Him"... Japanese Media Analyzes the "BTS V Effect"

 V of BTS has had his brand power highlighted by a Japanese business magazine. As numerous cases have emerged in which his work as a global ambassador has directly influenced product sales and brand awareness, anaysts are suggesting that V himself functions as a brand.

The Japanese comprehensive business weekly Weekly Toyo Keizai analyzed HYBE's business structure, artist deveopment strategy, fan platform Weverse, and its expansion into the Japanese and U.S. markets in its August 15-22 issue under the theme "The Ambitions of Entertainment Empire HYBE."

In particular, a separate article titled "Exclusive Coverage! 'Oshikatsu' (Supporting Your Favorite): BTS V Sells" focused extensively on V's influence as a brand.

The publication evaluated HYBE as having established a structure in which artists are not treated simply as entertainers but are analyzed as data connected to fans' consumption behavior, which is then leveraged across various businesses.

Toyo Keizai stated, "V is a figure coveted by companies around the world. In advertisements featuring him, it is common for his visuals to be placed front and center rather than the product itself." The analysis suggests that because V's recognition and image themselves generate interest in and purchases of products, the artist effectively serves as an independent brand.

The publication also introduced the case of Japanese beauty brand YUNITH. YUNITH initially operated primarily through direct sales but expanded into retail stores and overseas markets following its listing. According to the magazine, V's appointment as an ambassador was one of the major factors behind this transformation.

Products from campaigns featuring V quickly sold out, while YUNITH's Instagram following reportedly increased 2.5-fold within a month. The publication explained that marketing centered around V had an impact not only on product sales but also on expanding the brand's online visibility.

A similar case has recently emerged with U.S. sportswear brand Champion. After news broke on the 10th that V had been appointed as its global ambassador, traffic surged to Champion's official storefront on Target, its online retail partner, and products worn by V reportedly sold out.

V currently collaborates with brands across a wide range of industries, including fashion, jewelry, food and beverages, and beauty. In addition to Champion, he has participated in campigs for Celine, Cartier, Coca-Cola, HiteJinro, Snow Apparel, Paradise City, Compose Coffee, TIRTIR, YUNITH, and SimInvest, establishing himself as a global brand ambassador.

Original article: Segye Ilbo