How Wrtn’s “Weird” G-Dragon Ad Went Viral: A Case Study in Oddvertising
📌 TL;DR: The Ad That Said Almost Nothing… But Did Everything
What happens when a tech startup launches a national campaign that looks like it was shot on a phone and barely says what it's about? In the case of Wrtn—a fast-growing AI writing and search platform in South Korea—the result was explosive user growth. Their new ad featuring G-Dragon (yes, the K-pop icon) caused confusion, criticism, and virality—at once. And it worked.
💡 What Is Wrtn?
Wrtn is a South Korean AI startup offering tools for writing, chatting, and searching using AI. The app recently surpassed 5 million monthly active users and raised over $100 million USD in funding. It’s now among Korea’s top three AI chatbot apps.
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| c. wrtn |
🎥 The Campaign: Low Production, High Impact
The ad is shockingly simple: G-Dragon casually films himself saying, “This is an AI ad. An ad. An ad.” No filters, no slick transitions. Just shaky vertical footage, everyday background noise, and a deadpan message. The screen fades to black with bold red Korean text: “Wrtn.” And that’s it.
It was released across subway stations, taxis, social media, and cinemas. Viewers responded with everything from “WTF?” to “Genius.”
📈 The Results
- App installs up by 57%
- New user sign-ups up by 44%
- Over 10 million views in less than a month
🤯 Why It Worked: The Power of Oddvertising
This campaign is a classic example of Oddvertising—a tactic that deliberately uses strange or jarring content to grab attention. The goal isn’t to explain the product, but to plant a memory.
Wrtn’s G-Dragon ad echoes Kanye West’s infamous Super Bowl ad, where he simply spoke into his phone: “I spent all my ad budget, just visit the website.” It was weird. It was brilliant. And it drove millions in sales.
🧠 What Marketers Can Learn
- Disruption is sticky. In a sea of polished ads, being raw stands out.
- Memory > Explanation. People may not understand it—but they’ll remember it.
- Emotion still matters. Virality doesn’t always translate to brand love. Negative buzz like “cringe” or “try-hard” can undermine long-term trust.
🚨 Caution: Attention Isn’t Always Affection
While the campaign sparked massive reach, it also drew mixed sentiment. Some netizens called it "genius", others said it was “annoying” or “nonsensical.” Search terms like “Wrtn ad cringe” began trending alongside the campaign. This highlights an important distinction: attention ≠ affinity.
🎯 Final Takeaway
In a world saturated with brand messages, sometimes breaking the rules is the only way to be seen. But to build a loyal audience, marketers must look beyond virality and craft narratives that not only surprise—but resonate.
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