POSCO steelmaking

Programme nominated for the Excellence in Communications Steelie Award 2022

Based on a most-preferred employer survey (source: Jobkorea) conducted amongst jobseekers in Korea, POSCO, Korea’s leading steelmaker, has consistently dropped out of the top 10 since 2015.

Previously, POSCO consistently ranked 1st or 2nd as ‘preferred employer’; today, however, tech industries, such as “Kakao” and “Naver,” have carved out the top spots in Korea. It does not help that the inherent nature of the steel industry and how it is often depicted in the media conjures up images of the ‘old chimney’ rather than a futuristic icon.

Clearly, job-seekers are increasingly flocking to jobs pertaining to industry 4.0. To address this observation, POSCO has embarked on a new mid- to longterm mission to build engagement with Gen MZ. To do so, POSCO began analysing their demographic characteristics.

Gen MZ prioritises social values and rationale in addition to the business performance of a company; they develop a strong loyalty to brands with which they share common values.

Hence, they identify with companies practising good ESG management and are keen to purchase their products. In addition, interactive bi-directional social media is preferred to traditional media (mass media).

Last year, to promote ‘low-carbon eco-friendly steel’ as the core message of its communication campaign, POSCO adopted “Green Tomorrow with POSCO” as the new corporate slogan. To launch the campaign, POSCO shed its traditional modes of communication and shifted its priority to the interests and preferences of Gen MZ.
In the second half of 2021, their campaign had transitioned to social media-specific promotion. By focusing strategies on generating “fun” and seeking “empathy,” two qualities that Gen MZ identify within social media content, POSCO used YouTube and Instagram to roll out 3 strategies.

The campaigns have helped to bring the concept of ‘low-carbon eco-friendly steel’ closer to Gen MZ. Using a character narrator to tell the story of the steel industry, POSCO has built a friendlier image of the business.

Finally, the credibility and impact of the messaging has been maximised by communicating through a third-party influencer.