[Edaily Reporter Kim Ji-woo ] “The reason a brand can always remain fresh lies in its harmony with the times. While maintaining the brand’s essence, the way it engages with consumers must evolve with the times.”

Bae Seong-woo, Head of the Marketing Division at LOTTE WELLFOOD(280360), made these remarks during a lecture titled “How 40-Year-Old Snacks Regain Popularity” at the “E-Marketing Insight Summit 2026,” held on the 15th at the FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul.

Bae noted, “1983 is a year of special significance for LOTTE WELLFOOD.” This is because Pepero, Kancho, and Pig Bar—which have since established themselves as the company’s flagship long-standing brands—were all launched that year.

Bae defined marketing as “Market + ing.” He explained, “Marketing is the act of continuously doing something in the market targeted at a specific audience,” adding, “The fact that Pepero, Kancho, and Pig Bar have been loved for over 40 years is the result of constantly innovating to keep pace with the times.”

Director Bae cited Kancho’s “Name-Finding” marketing campaign as an example of how a long-standing brand can stay connected to the times. Kancho’s image as a children’s snack had become entrenched, causing its sales to stagnate at around 20 billion won since 2020.

While contemplating ways to connect the product with consumers, LOTTE WELLFOOD took note of consumer behavior on social media, where people express themselves and share proof of their discoveries. Consequently, the company imprinted 504 different names and hearts on Kancho cookies, encouraging consumers to find their own names and share them on social media.

Consumers then began using Kancho as a tool for play. A new slang term, “Kancho-kang”—referring to the practice of buying large quantities of the product and opening them to find one’s name—even emerged. As a result, from September to November of last year, Kancho sales at two major convenience store chains increased by 258% compared to the same period the previous year, with 13 million packs sold over those three months.

Division Head Bae explained, “The fun of eating expanded into the ‘fun of finding oneself,’ which drew attention,” adding, “It was a form of marketing where consumers sought out the product on their own, even without any discounts.”

“Dwaeji Bar” was highlighted as an example of transforming consumer inconvenience into a new experience. The company launched “Dwaeji Bar Bread,” a monaka-style ice cream that addressed the drawback of crumbs falling while eating while maintaining the original flavor and texture. LOTTE WELLFOOD also operated a pop-up store called “Pig Bar Bakery,” which incorporated the worldview of “Pig Master,” the character behind the development of Pig Bar Bread. Pig Bar’s sales in the first half of this year increased by 37.9% compared to the same period last year, and Pig Bar Bread ranked first in sales volume per store in the 7-Eleven snack category just two weeks after its launch.

Division Head Bae said, “What consumers loved wasn’t the bar shape itself, but the ‘Pig Bar-ness’—its kitschiness, fun, taste, and texture.” He added, “It’s no fun if a brand always looks the same. Consumers respond when a familiar brand appears in a new form.”

Pepero’s annual sales have grown from 4.4 billion won at launch to 243 billion won last year. This is the result of expanding its core value of “sharing” into a global culture. Last year, it generated 243 billion won in sales across 35 countries, and export revenue increased from 54 billion won in 2023 to 87.4 billion won last year.

“Our strategy isn’t simply to sell Pepero overseas, but to promote the culture of Pepero Day,” said Director Bae. “We’re transforming November 11 into ‘Korean Sweet Day’ and expanding it into a holiday enjoyed by people around the world,” he added.

In fact, LOTTE WELLFOOD has appointed Stray Kids as global ambassadors to promote Pepero Day in locations such as New York’s Times Square and recently released a collaborative song titled “November 11.” The company aims to develop Pepero into a global mega-brand with annual sales of 1 trillion won by 2035.

Division Head Bae emphasized that to innovate a long-standing brand, one must distinguish between what to change and what to preserve. “We must identify the brand’s core assets—such as the colors, shapes, flavors, textures, characters, and consumption patterns that have accumulated in consumers’ memories—and maintain them,” he said. “The key to brand revitalization lies in understanding how the world is changing and knowing what aspects of the brand to preserve while adapting to those changes.”