POSCO Burnishes ‘Steel’ Image

          POSCO in Pohang, Korea is now becoming the central place for the local community from its old company image as the "steel central" of Korea. Having a showroom, a classical concert, or sometimes a rock concert, POSCO is now able to approach to people with softer image. Since they started the monthly classic concert for local community, average of 2,000 audiences come to this free concert and enjoys the every moment.

          The spokesman of POSCO states that "...``We try to soften up people's perception that the steel industry is stiff business through various initiatives" (BusinessWeek). So when people visit POSCO for such events, they could also take a tour around POSCO, from the museum and a showroom with comtemporary arts on the ground level of the southern Seoul high-rise tower.

          POSCO not only sponsors these classical concerts around their area, but also to have such great sympony concerts at universities nationwide. Because of POSCO's great effort to have a close relationship with the public, the firm states they have established ties with almost 70 percent of Pohang's population.

          I think POSCO is trying to place its brand image among the people in order to diminish the public's perception for the steel group as bold and strict image. First, I thought why POSCO would put so much efforts to have that kind of keen relationship with local community; however, as I have spent more time in Pohang, I realized having such factories around the city could make a bad impression for the whole community. However, since POSCO has created ties between both parties, local communities can now have more smoother perception towards the firm. I think this strategy would allow POSCO to have great advantages for moving forward its business aruond Pohang in the future.

Reference;
Han, Jane. "POSCO Burnishes ‘Steel’ Image" KoreaTimes. 2008/06/05.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/06/123_25362.html

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