The power of the hallyu wave has also taken its hold on the franchise fried chicken industry. In the fast-food fried chicken industry, it's difficult to find any spokes person as appealing as a hallyu idol with which to effectively advertise their product to teenage consumers.
With so many fried chicken franchise brands in the running, such as Mexicana, Goobne, MasDay, and HotSun Chicken amongst many others, companies frequently turn to popular idols in order to endorse their product, in turn, creating a fierce battle within the chicken industry.
Mexicana fried chicken wisely chose the young soloist IU as their 2011 model, employing a wide range of marketing tactics. IU, who is widely loved for her quality vocals and acting, is known as the "Nation's Little Sister", her strong point lying in her friendly and wholesome image. As a result of IU's popularity, Mexicana reported a sufficient raise in sales within the past year, as a public relations of the company recently stated, "Last month's sales are up 30% from the same period as the previous year, meaning the 'IU Effect' is clearly visible.
