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Oriental Brewery taps into enthusiasm for Team
Korea, World Cup
By Ko
Dong-hwan, The Korea Times - Liquor giant Oriental Brewery (OB) hosted watch
parties at restaurants in Seoul Friday for Korea's 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A
match against the Czech Republic, using the events to promote its flagship beer
brand, Cass.
Called Cass
Viewing Pubs, the events are held at restaurants that sell Cass, allowing fans
to gather and cheer for the national team together. For Korea's three group
stage matches this month, OB partnered with four restaurants in Seoul's trendy
districts of Euljiro, Itaewon and Seongsu, as well as one venue in Suwon,
Gyeonggi Province.
On Friday, two
barbecue restaurants in Seoul's Euljiro and Itaewon areas were transformed into
temporary fan zones. At the Euljiro venue, around 300 visitors filled the
outdoor seating area in front of a giant screen, wearing matching jerseys
bearing the logos of the FIFA World Cup, the Korea Football Association and
Cass. Cass is the only domestic liquor brand serving as an official sponsor of
this year's World Cup.
The attendees
were selected through an application process organized by OB. As expected by
the company, the combination of Korea's best-selling beer brand and a World Cup
match attracted strong consumer interest. Seats at the Euljiro venue were
packed as staff busily served Cass beer, food and desserts throughout the
match. The Itaewon viewing pub was also filled to capacity with around 100
visitors.
According to
OB, the events successfully transformed popular dining venues into lively
cheering grounds despite the matches being played during weekday daytime hours.
Professional announcers and football-focused YouTubers provided live analysis
and play-by-play commentary, drawing enthusiastic reactions from spectators.
When Korea
secured a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic, spectators at the Euljiro Cass
Viewing Pub erupted in celebration, raising their pints and clinking glasses
together.
“Unlike
watching at home or in a private space, the viewing pubs utilize dining spaces
to generate on-site excitement, as people watch and respond to the matches
together,” an OB official said.
The event also
featured interactive programs designed to increase fan participation.
A segment
called “Wide Cup” picked out the most enthusiastic fans on site based on how
wide they opened their mouths while cheering. Artificial intelligence
technology analyzed pictures of the crowd and came up with measurement numbers.
Six spectators whose open mouths measured between 55 and 80 millimeters were
the final winners. Their prizes were Cass cans in quantities equivalent to the
measurements of their mouths.
Following the
match, a raffle awarded official 2026 FIFA World Cup match balls and national
team jerseys to six additional winners.
Cass is
currently promoting a FIFA World Cup-inspired campaign that encourages people
to get together and watch the matches together at establishments selling the
brand.
"Cass
Viewing Pub is a prime example of how a promotional campaign can be brought to
life through an offline experience," the OB official said.
"The
program is designed to make the moments when people gather to cheer and
celebrate together even more special.
"Despite
all the three matches being open on weekday mornings, Cass Viewing Pub is a
unique space where consumers gather at popular dining spots in Seoul to embrace
the World Cup fever and cheer for Korea together."
