Carousell boycotts 11.11 with 'Remorse Fest', revives the Karung Guni man

share on

twitter /
facebook /
linkedin /
- email
- telegram
- whatsapp
- wechat
- pinterest
- line
- snapchat
- reddit

Southeast Asian classified marketplace Carousell has not only boycotted the 11.11 sales festivals, but in an added its own twist to the festive shopping season. This year the marketplace launched localised festivals in Singapore and Hong Kong post 11.11 titled "Remorse Fest". Working with creative agency 72andSunny, the campaign encourages people to sell the purchases they regret on the Carousell app. The festival which launched yesterday in Singapore will run until 7 December 2021 and encourages binge shoppers to "turn remorse into returns in a sustainable way".

Cassandra Leong, head of regional marketing, Carousell, said that while other brands were busy shouting about their 11.11 sales last week, Carousell reminded users that they can consume sustainably, even while shopping for 11.11 sales. We understand buyer’s remorse deeply, and we’re reminding users that we’ll be here for them long after the flash one-day sales, not just for the lowest prices and deals all year around, but we’re also here for them to earn their money back from purchases or any decisions they may regret,” she added.

Carousell also localised the festivals for each market by bringing to life its rendition of the markets' iconic rag-and-bone figures (locally known as karung guni man in Singapore) using local celebrities. In Singapore, it worked with local comedian and content creator Hirzi Zulkiflie to play the role of Singapore’s Remorse Karung Guni. In the festival's promotional video, Zulkiflie is seen walking around in residential areas with his trusty loudhailer, inciting one and all to sell on Carousell.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWStqTQrL2C/

Daniel Ko, creative director, 72andSunny Singapore, said, “As a self-confessed chronic shopaholic, I must admit that this was inspired by what people like me need – I’ll definitely be turning some of my remorse into Carousell listings.”

In Hong Kong, Carousell collaborated with Commercial Radio Hong Kong DJ Ah Jeng, who participated in the festival from 3pm to 4pm on 13 November at Tsim Sha Tsui, encouraging the public to sell items that they don't want on the platform. In addition to Ah Jeng, Carousell also collaborated with 70 micro influencers. Passers-by were invited to meet and take photos with Ah Jeng, as well as take part in activities to win a limited edition tote bag.

Separately, Carousell Group had secured an investment of US$100 million earlier in September, bringing its valuation to US$1.1 billion. The funding, led by Korean private equity STIC Investments, will accelerate the company's leadership in the region, and enable Carousell to achieve its goal of redefining commerce for secondhand goods and automobiles in an increasingly digitally savvy, affluent and sustainability-conscious region. According to CNBC, other backers for Carousell include Golden Gate Ventures, Naver and Sequoia Capital India.

Carousell Group was founded in 2012 and currently serves a community of tens of millions of users across eight markets in Southeast Asia under the brands Carousell, Mudah.my, Cho Tot and OneKyat. Carousell’s pioneering mobile-first approach reignited the classifieds space, making selling and buying easier and proving to be an essential one-stop-shop across all categories.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Asia eCommerce Awards recognises and rewards excellence for brands, eRetailers and agencies in their eCommerce efforts across Asia. Join our Asia eCommerce Awards 2021 to showcase your work and inspire the industry. Click here to register today!