Byeong Chul Kim, President of Misung Commercial Co., Ltd.
Chapter 6. Discovering Advertising Breakthroughs in Africa
Above: NINA street ad campaign
Below: Byung Chul Kim’s daughter, Hye Sun, in front of a NINA street billboard (1990)
BNB Magazine has been publishing memoirs in the spirit of learning from the past. This year’s memoir series features President Byeong Chul Kim, Misung Commercial Co., Ltd. Starting as a founding member of Misung in the 70s and spanning five decades, his life in wigs is a colorful story that spans two continents and the history of Korean wigs. Based on the vivid oral histories of President Byeong Chul Kim, here comes a vivid account of his time in Africa.
The power of advertising in driving sales
As I shared in my previous story, before joining Misung Commercial Co., Ltd., I worked at Samchully Briquette Co., Ltd. and spent time in the Samcheok and Jeongam coal mines. During that time, I often heard a saying in mining: the amount of coal extracted is directly proportional to the number of wooden beams used. In deep mining operations, wooden beams (later replaced by steel) were essential for supporting the shafts, preventing collapses, and creating safe working spaces. In other words, the quantity of coal extracted reflects the effort and resources invested.
When we entered the unfamiliar African market with our new brand, NINA, I realized that we need to build “advertising beams” to create pathways for selling our products. No matter how much heart and soul you pour into your product, if consumers don’t know it exists, how can you expect to sell it? In the past, the manufacturing industry was ruled by those who owned production facilities. Today, however, the market is driven by brands that thrive through innovative product planning and strategic marketing. At the launch of NINA, even though funds were tight and managing employee payroll was a challenge, I made advertising a top priority to establish the brand’s name.
The first approach was a radio commercial featuring the “NINA CM Song,” sung in Wolof by Senegalese national singer Youssou N’Dour. The song aired on O.R.T.S. during lunch breaks, and soon even children playing in the alleyways were singing, “Ah, NINAO, NINA.” The name NINA originally came from the daughter of a local man who was involved in the early stages of Misung’s joint venture to expand into Africa. The brand name NINA carried a warm and familiar resonance with the local customers.
Once the name NINA caught on, I turned my attention to magazine advertising. At the time, a popular monthly French-language magazine called Amina was widely read across Africa. The campaign began with a half-page ad, followed by an upgrade to a full-page ad, and eventually featured one-third-page ads spread across three pages. The design was simple yet impactful: the brand name in bold white text on a red background, the signature color of NINA. The magazine was distributed throughout Africa, marking an important first step in building brand recognition for NINA.
Amina is a monthly French-language magazine that was founded in 1972. After spending its first three years based in Senegal, it moved to Paris in 1975. While it initially catered to Black African women, the magazine later expanded its reach to include Black women in Europe and North America.
As the advertising gained momentum, the ideas kept flowing. Red billboards were erected to catch attention on the streets, and soon I decided to try something more dynamic—bus advertisements. Buses featuring NINA ads became ubiquitous across Senegal, appearing near government offices, markets, and on busy roads. At the time, Coca-Cola and Marlboro were also prominent brands advertising on buses. Interestingly, NINA shared a similar design concept with them: bold white text on a striking red background. This led to frequent side-by-side displays of Marlboro, NINA, and Coca-Cola advertisements in large formats, creating a powerful visual impact.
A NINA bus passing by the Senegalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bong Sang Lee, President of Misung Commercial Co., Ltd., in front of a NINA advertising bus
We even ventured into airplane advertising. At the time, Air Afrique operated a route from Panama to New York City, and passengers fastening their seat belts were greeted by an ad that read “Mèche NINA” (French for “NINA hair”). The idea was to tap into the fact that many passengers on this route were traveling to New York to trade wigs and braids.
The NINA brand wasn’t just visible on the streets of Africa—it took to the skies. As brand recognition grew, NINA products began selling like wildfire. The bold advertising strategy proved to be a resounding success in driving sales.
Air Africa advertised NINA
Samchully Group Chairman Sung Yeon Yoo once said, “Take this money to Africa and see how it disappears—just know exactly what it is.” Our accomplishments far exceeded his expectations. NINA Venus continued reinvesting its profits in Senegal without any additional support from Misung Commercial Co., Ltd. Not only did it maintain its advertising efforts, but it also expanded by building factories across Africa.
Opening the NINA photo studio
Founded in 1983 in Senegal’s Zone Franche free trade zone, Venus Industries quickly established itself under the NINA brand, leveraging strong local connections and strategic advertising. Just two years later, the company expanded with a factory in Cameroon, followed by another in Togo two years after that. Interestingly, this growth wasn’t driven by any grand expansion strategy.
The Senegalese factory exported products to neighboring countries like Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali, but the process faced significant challenges, particularly customs duties. Tariffs were imposed at every border crossing, leaving little to no profit margin. While small retailers sometimes bypassed costs by trucking goods cheaply across borders, this method was impractical in regions where car transportation was difficult. The most effective solution to avoid these tariffs was to establish factories within each country, enabling local production and sales. This necessity became the driving force behind the company’s expansion across Africa.
The process was far more challenging than it might seem, especially in Nigeria, which was a prime target due to its large population and expansive market. The barriers to entry were significant. For example, Nigeria’s main hub, Balogun Market, was already crowded with over 100 braid vendors, creating intense competition. Even if a business managed to enter and sell, currency conversion presented a major hurdle. Nigeria’s currency, the Naira (NGN, ₦), made accessing dollars or CFA francs difficult, adding yet another layer of complexity.
It’s such an attracting market to give up on, and there’s no silver bullet. As we pondered the challenge, we spotted a niche opportunity: a photo a photo studio. At the time, photo labs were incredibly popular across Africa—if you wanted to make money, you either ran a wig shop or a photo studio. We met a talented young man in Dakar, Senegal, who had experience working at Kodak. We hired him to open a photo studio called NINA Photo in the Republic of Benin, which borders Nigeria. NINA Photo quickly became a business hub for Nigerian merchants, serving as a bridge to Nigeria and helping establish the NINA brand locally.
The NINA Photo Studio in Benin
NINA: A name spreading across Africa
Through these processes, we gained a deeper understanding of the Nigerian market, eventually enabling us to establish a factory in the country. Over the years, NINA Venus expanded from Senegal to neighboring nations, establishing six local facilities in Cameroon, Togo, South Africa, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire. It marked a golden age for NINA, as the brand flourished across Africa.
As each new factory was established, my role in the company advanced rapidly—from assistant manager to director, then managing director, and finally executive vice president. Whether life truly rarely goes as planned or I’m just framing it that way, I couldn’t simply walk away. What began as a one-year plan for a trip to Africa had transformed into a journey lasting decades.
Continued in the next issue.
