"National actor" Ahn Sung-ki died on the 5th. He was 74. The advertising strategy of Dongsuh Foods, which kept ties with the late actor as a model for 38 years, is drawing renewed attention. It is rare for one brand and one model to walk together for so long.
According to related industries on the 6th, the late actor Ahn Sung-ki was selected as a model for Dongsuh Foods in 1983 and served as the face of major coffee brands, including the flagship product "Maxim," until 2021. He is regarded as the longest-running model for a single brand. Dongsuh Foods said, "We express our deep condolences," and added, "We are grateful for the time we spent together and will long remember the late actor's wishes."
The 1980s and 1990s, when the late actor worked as a model for Maxim coffee, were when instant coffee and instant coffee products were becoming popular. Before cafe culture fully took root, coffee consumed at home and in offices expanded the market. At the time, a core competitive edge, no less important than price and convenience, was trust. Dongsuh Foods put forward emotional values such as relaxation and warmth instead of product explanations. The late actor, with a calm image, was at the center.
This long-term model policy by Dongsuh Foods continued afterward. Actor Lee Na-young led advertising for Maxim Mocha Gold from 2000 to 2024, becoming the face of the brand, and starting this year, actor Park Bo-young is leading the ads as the new face. For the canned coffee "Maxim T.O.P," actor Won Bin worked as a model for 16 years starting in 2008, and for the premium stick coffee "Kanu," the relationship with actor Gong Yoo has continued since 2011 to the present.
Rather than aiming for buzz by quickly swapping advertising models, the company has built familiarity and trust as brand assets. A Dongsuh Foods official said, "When selecting a model, we focus on whether they suit the product and brand image," adding, "Model contracts are done on a one-year basis, but if we judge that the person remains suitable as an advertising model, we continue to extend."
Industry watchers say this is a different path from most brands in the fast-changing ad market that pursue buzz or freshness by frequently changing models. A food industry official said, "Dongsuh Foods views models as entities that convey brand value and sentiment," adding, "It maximized the unique familiarity of the instant coffee brand with a long-term model strategy." In fact, Dongsuh instant coffee has expanded its consumer base while maintaining the image of "coffee you drink every day." According to market research firm Nielsen, as of the end of 2024, Dongsuh Foods' domestic instant coffee market share stands at 90.8%.
There is also an assessment that the late actor's attitude influenced the formation of brand trust. The actor maintained the status of a national actor for a long time and was said to have emphasized a principle of avoiding commercial ads that did not suit the actor's image. As the market segmented into specialty and premium coffee, analysts say the consistency provided by "one familiar face" boosted brand image and trust.
Seo Yong-gu, a professor in the Department of Business Administration at Sookmyung Women's University, said, "It is rare for the same model and a single company to work together for more than 30 years and build trust," adding, "In a rapidly changing advertising market, long-term collaboration can help accumulate brand trust, and this case symbolizes that."