[Official Partner Interview] #5. How "BTY," a company with a background in social commerce, understands the minds of makers
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As an official wadiz partner, BTY composed of a CEO and staff memberswith backgrounds in social commerce merchandising and design. We’re also a partner that understands the perspectives of both supporters and makers better than anyone else. While running our own brand, we also operate a content production business where we create content commissioned by makers to tell their Stories.
For this content, we’re joined by BTW CEO Park Jeong-hwan, Planning Director Baek Ha-in-gi, and Design Director Jeong Woo-jong.
Q. BTW’s teamwork seems impressive. Please tell us a bit about your team!
CEO Park Jeong-hwan: At BTY, every employee has a background in merchandising and design, making us a team with strong hands-on expertise. We’ve personally planned and grown our own brands, and we’re also responsible for everything from product manufacturing to distribution. Thanks to the experience gained through this process, we share a deep sense of empathy with the makers we meet through wadiz.
The People Behind BTW
Q. I’m curious about the background behind your decision to expand from running your own brand into a content production agency business.
Director Jeong Woo-jong (Designer): We first partnered with wadiz in 2014. At the time, we were solely focused on distribution, so we didn’t have the resources to create high-quality wadiz Stories (product detail pages). Although we put a lot of effort into the content, the results were disappointing. As expected, the results were also disappointing. After experiencing that failure, I realized just how crucial contentis for running a brand. That’s when we began to focus our efforts on the content production business as well.
Director Baek Ha-in-gi (Planner): Hoping that other makers wouldn’t experience the same failure we did, we began accepting and managing in-house content agency projects starting in 2015. In 2019, we became a wadiz Funding Mate (a service that preceded wadiz’s official partner program) and began operating as a wadiz partner. To date, we’ve produced over 100 Stories (detail pages), and the cumulative funding amount for projects handled by BTY has surpassed 1 billion won—a significant achievement.
Q. What do you consider to be the most important step in producing Story content?
CEO Park Jeong-hwan: Story production follows the sequence of follows the sequence of product research, proposal, filming and editing, and design. Among these, the stage that requires the most time and effort is the product research and planning stages.
Makers often entrust us with the entire content production process from start to finish. As a result, it’s crucial to fully understand the product and align the comments of the maker and BTY. During the planning stage, we meticulously review product information and Story concepts to refine the production direction.
Director Baek Ha-in-gi (Planner): “Adequate communication in advance is essential to ensure the final product aligns with the maker’s vision. We proceed with the work by drafting and sharing planning documents, as well as holding phone or in-person meetings, to fully convey BTW’s creative intent to the maker.”
BTW’s conference room—team members organizing the content production schedule
Q. What kind of content do you focus on when creating Stories? Does BTW have any secrets to creating compelling content?
Director Baek Ha-in-gi (Planner): “How can we present this in a way that appeals to our supporters?”is our top priority. Since both the CEO and our team members have backgrounds in social commerce, we have diverse perspectives on products and are highly skilled at identifying supporters’ needs. We quickly pinpoint what will resonate with our supporters.
Director Jeong Woo-jong (Designer): “Are there any fun or intriguing products?” —with a mind full of curiosity— and we pour our energy into creating “hooking content” for supportersthat instantly captures the attention of supporters who come in with a heart full of curiosity, asking, “Are there any fun or intriguing products?”
That’s why I spend a lot of time thinking about content and designs that can effectively answer the question, “Why do we need this product?” I seek out and refine the most effective ways to showcase the products that makers have painstakingly crafted and their numerous advantages.
Photographer and Head of Planning Baek Ha-in-gi during a photo shoot
Q. Please share your most memorable wadiz success story!
Director Baek Ha-in-gi (Planner): I remember the project where we launched CJ CheilJedang’s new product, “Plant U,”for the first time through wadiz. Regardless of the fact that it was a product from a large corporation, I believe the product itself had clear appeal. Everyone approached the project with the conviction that “it would yield great results.” I believe the synergy between the makers’ passion and BTW’s expertise in content creation led to this successful outcome.
Director Jeong Woo-jong (Designer): The maker who creates“Supier”running shoes is the first person who comes to mind. From our very first meeting, seeing how confident the maker was, I could tell they had complete faith in their product.
The CEO even joined us for the outdoor photo shoot. It was a situation where he could have easily become tired and exhausted from running back and forth for hours while wearing the shoes himself. But seeing the maker so full of energy and driven by a strong desire for the project’s success really inspired us. The final product was just as impressive as the maker’s passion, so it really stands out in my memory.
Seong Ho-dong, the maker who introduced the running shoe brand “Supier”
Q. If you were preparing a Story on your own, how would you recommend starting?
CEO Park Jeong-hwan: Try to think about the product’s USP(unique selling point) from the perspective of an average person who isn’t familiar with itand try to express that in your Story.
Makers conduct a lot of market research and study while validating their products. While this is, of course, an essential process, becoming too immersed in the product can lead you to focus solely on its positive aspects. I believe that to identify and improve upon what makers might have overlooked during this process, a general customer’s perspective—a fresh perspective—is absolutely necessary.
Design Director Jeong Woo-jong at work
Q. Why do you think one should start a business through wadiz?
Baek Ha-in-gi, Director (Planner): When we first introduce a product to the world, we often expect to sell out the entire inventory. However, in reality, that rarely happens. We, too, sometimes produce and sell products in minimal quantities to minimize excess inventory. There are also situations where the initial batch sells out, so we place an order for additional production, only to find that sales are sluggish—contrary to expectations. I think crowdfunding is a great way to wisely navigate these situations.
CEO Park Jeong-hwan: As both a maker and a content production company, BTW has achieved significant growth through wadiz. We hope you’ll use wadiz to minimize risksin the early stages of your business and grow your brand.
“If you leverage crowdfunding effectively for your business,
you can achieve significant growth.”
- Park Jeong-hwan, CEO of BTY
- Want to meet BTW, a reliable partner for ambitious makers? Get a consultation on content creation
<Official Partner Interview> Series
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- How ‘BTY,’ with a background in social commerce, understands makers’ needs
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Written by Lee Hye-jin; Planned and Edited by Lee Eun-ah; Photos by Lee Hye-jin