Why do companies hold events for examinees?

1) The targeting effect of killing two birds with one stone

Every year during the CSAT season, there is a brand that puts events or messages of support to the test takers at the forefront. These companies get the amazing effect of hitting two targets with one arrow. This is because the CSAT event also affects test takers, their families, and close relatives. The CSAT is a very important test in Korea. Because students go through a lot of stress in preparing for the test, messages of support for test takers and their families give companies a positive image and brand favorability. The most attractive part of the CSAT event is that it can catch the attention of both the parents and their children's generations with one campaign.

2) Test takers are prospective buyers

Test takers are literally "prepared customers" who are full of motivation to purchase. Test takers who have given up and restrained themselves to achieve one goal are highly likely to "revenge spending¹⁾" after the test is over. Demand for various products such as clothes, shoes, beauty products, and transferred products for college entrance preparations may surge. Events or discounts in time can bring you to our brand's first customer.

3) Pre-acquire potential customer groups of the future

In the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) event, verification of the examinee's identification card is usually done. Through the event, you can naturally obtain personal information such as the customer's area of residence, gender, and age. Based on this information, companies can form a group of potential customers in the future and continue to communicate. It is a great opportunity to secure a group of potential customers who have just become adults in advance. The more important the brand is in their 20s, the more important the brand experience should be with unique events and the better the impression of the brand.

Examples of CSAT event strategies by industry

💡Fashion X Department Store: The 'discount ticket' of the test ticket

→ Department stores attract test takers with promotions from fashion brands. They usually hold events where you can get a 10 to 20 percent discount on products as long as you bring your test card. We are taking advantage of the high demand for purchases ahead of college entrance.

💡Travel X Home Shopping: Suggestions for 'healing' for the families of test takers
→ Last year, TV Home Shopping Company G frequently organized travel packages such as Western Europe and Saipan, and suggested healing trips for test-takers' families. This is based on data that show high demand for travel among test-takers' families during the winter season from December to February. They suggested two options: tubular and recreational.

💡 Convenience store & restaurant industry: Throw luck for participation
→ Convenience stores and restaurant industries often use "lucky events" that can be participated by simple applications. They use their official SNS channels to distribute events and present winning gifts such as mobile gift certificates and restaurant gift certificates. They strengthen the brand experience with winning gifts that allow visitors to visit the store in person.

💡Telecommunications company: Traditional powerhouse of College Scholastic Ability Test event
→ The mobile carrier has been focusing on recruiting test takers with exclusive benefits. It attracts test takers with various benefits such as allowing them to experience benefits in advance even before entering college, membership benefits focused on cultural life, and gift card vouchers that can be used to purchase electronic devices. It holds active promotions because it can attract sign-ups and retain them as long-term customers through the college student plan.

Two things to think about to do better

① The size of the market is decreasing

The school-age population (6 to 21 years old) is decreasing every year due to the low birth rate. According to the data from Statistics Korea, the school-age population decreased from 8.92 million in 2015 to 7.88 million in 2020 and 7.14 million in 2024. As a result, the number of CSAT takers ²⁾ also decreased from 590,000 in 2015 to 480,000 in 2020 and 440,000 in 2024. It is necessary to plan a campaign in consideration of the fact that the size of the special customer group called test takers is decreasing. It can combine various seasonal issues adjacent to the CSAT day, such as the full-fledged kimjang season, Black Friday, and Pea-ro Day, and come up with a campaign to transform not only the test takers but also the entire test takers' family into loyal customers.

② Gift items that have changed since COVID-19

Starting with COVID-19, the gifts for the CSAT have also changed significantly. Prior to COVID-19, gifts containing the heart of "stick well" such as CSAT rice cake and chocolate taffy were popular. Media reports on the CSAT also dealt with a rare scene where juniors and family members cheered in front of the school gate with sticky rice cake and taffy before COVID-19. However, during the COVID-19 period, social distancing became widespread, and the items and delivery methods of gifts changed. Health-conscious gifts that help improve immunity were in the spotlight, and they were delivered in the form of non-face-to-face or gift cones. Products that help with condition and mental care have emerged rapidly through COVID-19. It is necessary to organize event gifts or promotional main products in consideration of the changed gift trends.

1) A sudden explosion of pent-up consumption needs due to external factors
2) KESS Educational Statistics Service Statistics

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