Just Eat has partnered with Netflix to launch a Squid Game marketing campaign, which says it hopes Brits will “ditch the festive leftovers” on Boxing Day and instead watch the second season of the dystopian thriller with a Korean takeaway.
The aggregator app has launched a TV ad depicting users as Squid Game players, recreating scenes from the Netflix hit show like the Red Light, Green Light game, “with a food-related twist”.
The campaign – created and produced with agency partner DEPT – also features an online Squid Game-themed game called Eliminate, through which players stand to win cash prizes.
Customers can access the game when they order through the app. Players must “make it through a meal without getting caught in Young-hee’s terrifying gaze”. The game, created in-house at DEPT, combines facial detection and motion tracking technology to “produce an experience that’ll have fans trembling”.
Just Eat has also launched a bespoke Squid Game-inspired menu of “reimagined Korean classics” which users can order from 130 participating restaurants across the UK.
The first season of Squid Game was released worldwide in September, 2021, and became Netflix’s all-time most watched series. The much-anticipated second series debuts on the streaming platform on 26 December.
“We’re excited to partner with Netflix for one of the most hotly anticipated launches of the year,” said Andrew Cocker, marketing director UK&I at Just Eat.
“Our teams have worked closely together to ensure the magic of the Squid Game IP comes to life in an authentic way for our customers, partners, couriers and brand. We’ve respectfully weaved our distinctive assets throughout the content and we’re particularly excited to launch a brand new culinary experience that allows fans to ‘level up’ up their connection with the series,” he added.
Just Eat’s campaign has additionally rolled out across billboards, and an influencer-led social media drive. The campaign will also run on Netflix’s ad-supported plan.
The menu includes items like ‘Player 465’ – a dish of crispy slaw, creamy mayo, and fried chicken; ‘The Frontman’ – crispy fried chicken in a smoky Korean BBQ sauce, layered with crunchy slaw and ssamjang mayo; and ‘Elimination Burger’ with a “super hot sauce”.
The full range of dishes will be available to punters attending the sponsored ‘Squid Game: The Rave’ event at London nightclub Drumsheds on 18 December, headlined by DJ Peggy Gou.
“At Netflix we’re dedicated to working with admired brands and building campaigns and experiences that authentically connect fans with the shows they love,” said Jordan Peters, senior director, brand partnerships, EMEA at Netflix.
“This partnership with Just Eat does exactly that: bringing the world of Squid Game 2 into the homes – and beyond – of millions of fans,” he added.
Research by Just Eat this month concludes that the UK “is riding a ‘K-Wave’ boom for Korean food and products”. According to its survey of 2,000 people by OnePoll, nearly half of Brits (47%) are seeking out Korean goods, with one in five saying they now eat East Asian food at least once a month.
Korean cuisines represent an untapped market, Just Eat says, with 47% of respondents expressing a desire for more Korean food options in their local area and 46% interested in learning more about the culture.
“Cultural trends increasingly influence everything from what we eat to how we take care of ourselves, and the K-wave is testament to this – orders of Korean food on Just Eat have grown 23% in the last year alone,” said Leigh Phillipson, UK sales director, Just Eat.
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