The popularity of Tanghulu, which had been sensational since the end of 2022, has rapidly cooled down since the second half of last year. Tanghulu 1) The number of franchisees increased to 420 in 2023 and then sharply decreased to 262 in 20242). While Tanghulu stores were closing down one after another, Yo-A-jeong 3) became a popular dessert. The number of Yo-A-jeong franchisees opened its 250th store in April and surpassed the 400th store by franchise agreement in June4). The dessert trend cycle is getting shorter, and self-employed people who did not realize this are starting their own businesses and closing their businesses one after another.
What is the secret of Yo-A-Jeong's popularity after inheriting the pattern of Tanghulu? And why are the snack favorites of Generation Z constantly changing? We looked at how to understand the ever-shortening trend of dessert trends and the principles behind the phenomenon.
Image created by generative AI DALL-E.
Why Yo-A-Jeong Is Popular After Tanghulu
Even before Yo-A-Jeong, there was a dessert that was eaten on yogurt ice cream by choosing toppings. In the 2000s, it was popular once in the university district, and at some point, the heat cooled. In a way, Yo-A-Jeong, a retro trend, was chosen by the Gen.G generation because of three factors.
1️⃣Social media sharing: It is visually attractive because it is topped with a variety of toppings such as honeycomb, snacks, granola, fresh fruit, dried fruit, and nuts. It is also a good material to attract attention through SNS feeds due to its colorful colors. It is attractive among teenagers and people in their 20s that it is good to receive attention by posting it with a feed that comes out pretty in pictures.
2️⃣High accessibility : Yo-A-Jeong is also a cafe-type offline store, but it has been popular as a delivery company since its early days. It was so popular that it consistently ranked No. 1 on delivery apps throughout the hot summer. Coupled with the convenience of the delivery service, it was one of the secrets to its popularity that you can order and eat at any time.
3️⃣Play culture : Yo-A-Jeong forms the play culture of the Gen.G generation in that you can make your own recipes. It's about sharing, authenticating, and enjoying honey combinations with each other. In the Black Keyword Analysis Tool, 'Yo-A-Jeong Combination' appeared as the most searched keyword related to Yo-A-Jeong.
Why did Gen Z dessert become so popular that it quickly cooled down?
Gen Z's favorite desserts are characterized by soaring popularity in a short period of time and then quickly extinguishing the craze. This is why there are many predictions that Yo-A-jung will become the second Tanghulu. There are also many concerns about the explosive increase in the number of franchisees. Why can't we like desserts that we love so hot for so long?
Generation Z, who grew up in a digital environment, tend to quickly drive trends and consume social media. They value "unique experiences" more than anything else, and try to share them online. Sharing is also very important because it is consumed as an "experience." In this case, a unique experience is an experience that satisfies the five 感. Yo-Ajeong and Tanghulu are very similar in that they stimulate all five senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing (chewing sound) with their colorful, flavor, and texture. This kind of experience shifts your interest to a new dessert. When the joy of the experience this dessert provides declines, you are looking for a different replacement.
These trends are also a result of reflecting natural changes in digital, and technical changes in the digital era.Not only dessert, but also the life cycle of products such as fashion, fashion, electronic devices such as fashion, fashion, and electronic devices. According to a study5), customers who expected a TV to live for nine years in 2011 said 6.5 years in 2022. People who were born and raised in the digital age want to experience new technologies and features faster. With this trend, the lifespan of products and trends continues to decrease.
The Power of the 'Experience Economy' Driving Trends These Days
Joseph Pine, a strategic management consultant, and James Gilmore, a business innovation expert, published a paper called "The Experience Economy" in the Harvard Business Review in 1998. They first mentioned the concept of "Experience Economy" in predicting e-commerce cycles and trends. An experience economy refers to an economic phenomenon in which a product is not simply owned, but consumed with value in the experience itself. In an era when goods and services were important, it shifts to experience-oriented, and only companies that provide unforgettable experiences to customers can have market competitiveness.
The dessert trends that Gen Z loved reveal the attributes of this experience economy. In the experience economy, experience, emotional value, and the moment that can be shared are more important than physical possession. They feel a great value in the experience that the product provides rather than the functionality of the product. That's why they show a strong passion and interest in providing a unique experience above all else.
[Characteristics of Experience Economy]
1) Pleasure through experience is prioritized. If it's not enjoyable, I don't experience it.
2) In an experience economy, sharing with others is important, because sharing maximizes the value of experience!
3) My own experience is important. If it becomes so popular that it can cool down your interest.
If you look at the graph that depicts the progress of economic value, you can see that the market, which was initially expecting commodity-oriented products, is gradually shifting to good products and services. And at the very last step is "Experiences." You have to understand that people living in the experience economy love "Experiences," not certain things. Only then can you avoid the failure of strategies such as late promotions and business closures.
1) a confection of sugar-coated fruit on a skewer
2) As of July 2024, Fair Trade Commission affiliate business information data
3) Yogurt ice cream with various toppings stands for "The Essence of Yogurt Ice Cream."
4) As of July 2024, Fair Trade Commission affiliate business information data
5) Consumer Technology Association (CTA) Product Lifecycle Shrinking, 2022
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