To Make Something New with Something Existing

Do you know "Jjapaguri"? This food appeared on the MBC's program, named "Dad, Where Are We Going?" and it drew the attention of many people. This food was created by cooking together two different kinds of ramen. This combined food was made by a consumer. This consumer is called a modisumer. What is a Modisumer? Do you know this word? Let's find out about modisumers!

 

   1. Many Consumers Make Good Combination
   Modisumer is a compound word combined from the words "modify" and "consumer." That is, instead of following regular recipes, consumers change recipes as they desire and make their own recipes. Especially, this modisumer is very popular in the field of ramen. There are many new recipes using ramen. For example, there are “Jjapaguri” (mixed with Jajangramen and Neoguri Spicy ramen), “Goalbimmyeon” (mixed with Bibimmyeon and a can of whelk), “Oppagetti” (mixed with Jajangramen and Jjamppongramen), and so on.
Modisumers appear in not only the field of ramen but also other fields. First, many people combine alcoholic drinks with ice cream, energy drinks, vinegar drinks, and so on. For example, “Meroniju” is mixed with soju, lemon-lime soda and ice cream flavored with melon and is popular with many people. Besides, there are various mixed alcoholic drinks. Besides, there is a drink mixed with a cocktail and a drink for curing a hangover. The hangover cure is made by Hovenia dulcis Thunb, a Japanese Raigin Tree that has a good ingredient for alleviating a hangover. Second, there are also modisumers in the field of cosmetics. For example, people remake new blushes by combining foundations with tints. Thus, they can save the money because they remake new cosmetics with products that they already had instead of buying new cosmetics.
This trend is newly popular with many people, but the trend is neither fresh nor new. Consumers have been drinking "somaek," a mixture of soju and beer, for a long time. This is also created by modisumers. However, it is clear that modisuming is a hot trend among people at the moment.

 

   2. Various Media Accelerate the Spread of Modisuming
   The Modisuming trend has spread very quickly by mass media like a TV. For example, there is a segment which introduces recipes on "Happy Together," a KBS2's program. Guests on this program introduced their own recipes that they have modified. Thus, they are modisumers. Those recipes become very popular and many people follow the recipes. Besides, in many TV programs, many celebrities show their own recipes to viewers.
SNS (Social Networking Service) are also a main cause for why the modisumer trend has spread so fast. SNS users can post their own writing freely on social networks. Many SNS users post new recipes on their social networks and share their recipes with one another. Movement of information is very fast as users respond to the information in real time. Therefore, modisumers are getting more active because people are in two-way communication through SNS, contrary to the one-way communication on TV or radio.


   3. Try Fresh Methods and Feel New
   There are lots of posts which mix the existing goods in the blogs. They don’t cover food recipes only. They cover a great variety of products. For example, many bloggers make “Oppagetti” which combines Jajangramen with Jjamppong ramen. Some women bloggers combine concealer and lipstick to use for cheek makeup. Why do these bloggers try something new?
First, more and more people want to have fresh and pleasant experience for themselves during a busy day. They modify existing products, but people think the modified product is something special through the combinations of their own ways. Therefore, many people follow them rapidly and easily, and the combination catches popularity. Second, the method which uses existing products is economical. They make the right goods for themselves spontaneously, so they don't need to buy many products to find the suitable product for them. Finally, they want to have various effects by one product. Although many people use the same product, they have the consumer sentiment that they are more special than others. They enjoy satisfactory lives by using the goods differently.


   4. Various Marketing Words including Modisumer 
   Is a modisumer a new marketing word? There are lots of neologisms nowadays. Let’s find out more about new marketing words. First, a twinsumer is the compound word which is formed from words "twin" and "consumer." It means consumers who purchase the goods after referring the user's comment on the Internet. They regard the experience of others as important. Second, a guidesumer is the compound word which is formed from words "guide" and "consumer." They confirm the production spot of the company personally. After that, they appreciate the advantages of the product and criticize the disadvantages of it. Third, prosumer which is predicted by the futuologists is the compound word of the words “product” and “consumer.” They require the development of the goods, and suggest their own idea to the company. Then, the company accepts it and maximizes customer satisfaction.


   5. Two Sides of Modisuming
   Many consumers accustom themselves to the pattern with which they have used or eaten. Although the companies develop the new products, it is hard to change the conservatism of a consumption pattern. In addition, the new method made by modisumers can be very popular for its novelty, but it gets positive results in the short term, not in the long term. In other words, it is not just a temporary trend. Therefore, the companies involve the customer in marketing strategy actively, rather than rely on the new method made by modisumers only. For example, there is a cafe where consumers brew coffee by personal preference and roast coffee beans personally. Another example is a self ice cream specialty store where the customers choose the toppings they want. The number of topping is 15, and there are strawberries, raspberries, green tea, chocolate, almonds, wasabi, and so on. Like this, as customers play a leading role in buying goods, these stores catch on in popularity. Therefore, although there are some problems associated with modisumers, the companies and customers will have positive impacts depending on how they utilize the new marketing phenomenon.  

 


By Kim Min-chae / CP Reporter / minchae@cnu.ac.kr
Heo Moon-hee / CP Reporter / moony01@cnu.ac.kr

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