Cornitos questions how K-culture is repeatedly framed in food advertising

New Delhi: As Korean-inspired flavours continue to dominate snack shelves and advertising narratives in India, Cornitos has launched a new campaign for its Korean Chilli Nachos that deliberately steps away from the category’s established creative codes. Developed in collaboration with The Crayons Network, the films use satire to question the growing uniformity in how K-culture is represented in food advertising.

In recent years, Korean snack campaigns have frequently leaned on recognisable visual and cultural cues, synchronised K-pop choreography, heightened K-drama emotions and stylised beauty imagery. Cornitos departs from this approach, opting instead for a format that draws attention to the repetition itself.

“When every brand starts borrowing from the same K-playbook, the codes stop meaning anything,” said Samir Datar, Chief Strategy Officer, The Crayons Network. “This campaign is our commentary on that saturation. Instead of following the expected route, we chose humour and contrast to disrupt the sameness.”

The films take an unexpected narrative turn by parodying the tone of high-intensity Korean state broadcasts. A Supreme Leader and stern generals are shown delivering dramatic speeches, only for English subtitles to reveal that the declarations revolve around nachos, chilli heat, crunch and flavour rather than geopolitics.

“The contrast is intentional and unapologetically satirical,” explained ECD Manoj Jacob. “After all, North Korea is still, technically, Korea.”

Rather than relying on exaggerated punchlines, the campaign uses restraint, allowing the humour to emerge gradually through visual cues and subtitling. AI-generated imagery is combined with public-domain footage to create a sense of scale and authenticity, while maintaining tight comic timing.

The creative approach reflects the product positioning, with Cornitos describing Korean Chilli Nachos as catering to consumers who favour strong flavours and global influences.

“Korean Chilli Nachos are bold, fiery, and full of character,” said Manoj Singh, Head of Marketing, Cornitos. “The campaign reflects that same confidence. We wanted to stand apart, not blend in, and create communication that is as impactful as the product itself.”

The films conclude with a line that reinforces the campaign’s irreverent tone and commentary on flavour-led differentiation.

Watch the campaign film: