Small Agency’s Bold Move To Promote Its Artist Garners Mixed Reviews: Wholesome Marketing Effort?

Armada Entertainment, the management behind rising artist One Pact, has sparked both intrigue and debate with their recent promotional tactics.

The controversy began when a seemingly innocent fan post praising One Pact’s Yedam surfaced on Daum Cafe, a popular Korean forum, on June 24.

The post, titled “This Yedam guy is so cute!”, featured a video showcasing Yedam’s endearing aegyo (cute expressions) and impressive dance skills.

Yedam

However, what caught netizens’ attention was the discovery that the post wasn’t made by an ordinary fan, but by Armada Entertainment themselves.

The link embedded in the post led directly to One Pact’s official Instagram account, revealing that the management team orchestrated the entire promotion under the guise of a fan’s excitement.

Despite the initial backlash over the deception, opinions quickly diverged.

Yedam, Armada Entertainment

Many netizens viewed the stunt as a clever and wholesome attempt at viral marketing, highlighting the dedication of small entertainment companies in promoting their talents.

The incident gained traction on theqoo, another prominent Korean online community, where users debated the ethics and effectiveness of such tactics.

One commenter on theqoo remarked, “Everyone’s doing it, why make a big deal out of it?” reflecting a sentiment echoed by others who found the approach charming rather than deceitful.

Another user praised the effort, stating, “It’s not an illegal route, so I hope they succeed and share the theqoo story as an episode later.”

More comments from K-pop fans:

• “Isn’t Yedam cute? The employees at small companies are working hard.”
• “Who doesn’t do viral marketing? Even theqoo is full of it.”
• “Wow, it’s such a wholesome viral marketing effort, it’s endearing.”
• “Did they even do the tap challenge for us? I find it really likable.”

While unconventional, Armada Entertainment’s strategy appears to have struck a chord with some segments of the online community, drawing attention to the challenges faced by smaller agencies in competing with larger, more established labels.