"Kakao Brand Messages Differ from SMS Ads... Higher Trust and Marketing Effectiveness"

Sender Verification Possible

High Scores for Trust, Security, and Controllability

A survey found that Kakao's brand messages are perceived as more trustworthy by users compared to standard SMS advertisements. This appears to be due to the fact that, unlike SMS—where users passively receive messages—brand messages allow users to verify the sender and decide whether to receive the message themselves.

On August 10, Kakao announced that, based on research presented this past May by Professor Lee Daho's team at Sungkyunkwan University during the Korean Society for Media Management conference, Kakao's brand messages are rated higher than SMS by consumers in terms of both reliability and controllability. While brand messages received favorable evaluations across a variety of product categories—such as daily necessities and electronic goods—the difference in perceived trustworthiness and relevance was especially pronounced for high-involvement products, where information reliability and context carry more weight. The research team found that the primary factors in evaluating corporate messages were whether the sender could be trusted and whether users could block or manage unwanted advertising.

Kakao CI. Kakao

There is also research indicating that trust in a platform translates into actual advertising effectiveness. In August last year, a joint research team led by Professor Um Namhyun of Hongik University and Professor Yoo Seungchul of Ewha Womans University surveyed 400 consumers who had experienced both SMS and brand messages. The study found that brand messages scored higher than SMS on key trust-related indicators—including reliability (4.46 points out of 5 versus SMS's 3.72), security, and controllability.

Risks such as potential spam or privacy infringement were also found to be lower for brand messages than for SMS. The analysis suggests that the effectiveness of advertising is influenced by user trust in the platform itself, as consumers consider not just the advertising content but also the platform through which it is delivered.

Differences were also observed in the level of advertising aversion felt by consumers. In a survey conducted in June by Professor Park Sejin of Hanyang University, which targeted 1,002 adults, 74.7% of respondents viewed SMS ads and brand messages as the same type of advertising. However, 35.3% of respondents selected brand messages as the least objectionable type of advertisement, making it the most favored option.

Kakao's brand messages are sent only after users provide consent to receive advertising information under the Information and Communications Network Act. Users can verify the sender via a profile displayed at the top of the message, and unwanted advertisements can be refused at any time by blocking the channel or using the free 080 opt-out service. Additionally, only verified business operators—those whose business registration and employment status have been confirmed—are permitted to use the service, ensuring a systematic management framework.

A Kakao representative stated, "In an era where consumer trust is the key to advertising competitiveness, Kakao's brand messages provide users with a safe and reassuring advertising experience, while advertisers benefit from strong marketing results. We are fostering an advertising ecosystem where trust and efficiency grow together."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.