Korea Investment & Securities launches third cohort of 'Bankis Buddy' college ambassador program

Korea Investment & Securities announced Monday that the third cohort of its college ambassador program, Bankis Buddy, has kicked off.

The Bankis Buddy ambassadors plan and produce SNS content to promote the Korea Investment & Securities and Bankis brands, and also participate in brand promotion activities and propose ideas related to financial services and marketing.

The company held a launch ceremony for the third cohort Wednesday at its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. The cohort was recruited from students enrolled at universities in Seoul, other parts of the country and abroad, with 50 selected through a document screening and interview process.

The selected ambassadors will spend the next three months carrying out a range of online and offline missions centered on team-based activities.

Korea Investment & Securities said it plans to actively listen to college students and the younger generation through the Bankis Buddy program.

The second cohort of Bankis Buddy held its graduation ceremony Friday. The 60-member second cohort participated in a variety of online and offline activities over four months, gaining firsthand experience in financial services and brand marketing.

Kim Do-hyun, head of Korea Investment & Securities' individual customer group, said the content produced by the second cohort and their active presence on campuses helped introduce the company to younger customers in a more approachable way. "We look forward to the third cohort playing a role in connecting the Bankis brand with the MZ generation, drawing on the fresh perspectives and ideas that only college students can bring," he said.

Korea Investment & Securities will also conduct a campus tour series. Starting with visits to Kyungpook National University on Wednesday and Hanyang University on Sept. 8, the company plans to visit eight universities nationwide through November, including the University of Seoul, Korea University and Kookmin University. Financial education sessions will cover topics such as "How to invest in shares in the AI era" and "The dawn of the token economy era." The company also plans to expand its network with university investment clubs and student communities, and to produce and distribute short-form content based on the campus tours to broaden its engagement with students.