The apple of my KATSEYE
The girl group taking over the world (and TikTok)
Author: Jojo Agbi, Senior Strategy Executive, The Goat Agency
Between their recent VMA win, that GAP ad, and redefining the word ‘gnarly’. Katseye have cemented themselves as one of the biggest girl groups in the world, and honestly, I’m becoming ‘katseyeholic’. Let’s unpack why Katseye has taken the world by storm.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Wait, who is Katseye?
For those unfamiliar with the international girl group, they came together on Netflix’s docuseries Popstar Academy: Katseye. This docuseries followed contestants from all over the world competing to win a spot in the group ‘Katseye’.
Our winners? Meet Manon, Lara, Sophia, Daniela, Megan, and Yoonchae. This international group was formed by Getten Records, based in the US, and Hybe, a renowned South Korean record company known for managing K-pop groups, including BTS, NCT, and NewJeans.
This mix has led to an interesting result: Katseye’s is the perfect blend of influences from America and K-pop, making them a distinct girl group that feels both familiar and unique. Their iconic choreography, cinematic music videos, and Y2K fashion have led to a dedicated fan base, known as Eyekons.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
What makes them so loved?
Whether football fans, or fangirls of the biggest band, fandom is a part of culture, especially on social. Across the world, music managers have leveraged all avenues to build and strengthen the connection between audiences and the band’s members, ultimately developing a parasocial relationship between fans and the band.
This relationship can be imperfect, as managers and brands carefully craft a visual identity for the artist or band. From wardrobe, to public speaking training, these artists have little room to fully express themselves.
Katseye’s content strategy was not only brand partnerships, behind-the-scenes shoots, and content videos. Where they are popular is balancing trend-led, authentic behind-the-scenes content, and everyday content that gives fans [and curious people like me] an insight into the group’s dynamic, personalities, and how chronically online they are [they’re just like us!].
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
What we love about GAP x Katseye:
Okay, let’s talk about the iconic GAP ad.
Like Monster High, the perfect blend of nostalgia, over the past few years, GAP has recently partnered with beloved musicians for dance-centred ads with the likes of Troye Sivan and Jungle.
Katseye are famously known for its iconic choreography, dominating dance trends, and its famed lead dancers, Dani and Megan, captivating social media with each performance.
GAP also thrived on nostalgia, as a beloved staple brand across Millennials and Gen Z. Their recent strategy of engaging beloved musicians among their audience has shown excellent results. Especially in Katseye’s case, this girl group is known for their Y2K style and using Kelis’ iconic song Milkshake, resulted in an ad that resonates with generations and a success everyone talks about.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
What does this mean for brands?
Celebrities are not a means of driving awareness; they can be an effective partner to connect with a core idea in culture. GAP x Katseye showed us that nostalgic marketing can still be powerful, not to make audiences look back, but to create art that everyone loves.
This means that this is an opportunity for brands that aim to lean into nostalgic iconography, or for brands from the past to come back and truly connect with Gen Z. The strategy is not the biggest, loudest campaign; it is about partnering with the perfect person who can make your message resonate with everyone. Now, that’s eyekonic.
Thank you to Angela Torricella and Kent Maquiling for their insights, and Katseye for being amazing, you have a new stan.
Subscribe for creator, content and culture updates like this one. All written and produced by The Goat Agency team.