It's worse than Valentine's Day

Imagine for a moment that you are the marketing director of a new cookie. You have been given the task of advertising for a new cookie that your company has come up with - chocolate covered cookie sticks.



So you think to yourself "what can I do to make everyone not only want to buy these cookies, but feel they need to buy these cookies. I know! I'll make a national holiday!" So you decide on a date that looks like your cookies (11/11), and announce to the country that on this date, they must buy this cookie for their loved ones (and anyone else they come into contact with on a daily basis).



And so, for the past several years, November 11th has been known as Pepero Day (빼빼로 데). I must have received about half a dozen boxes of these things from my kids, and that's all they had for snack today.

Korea presents: real men of genius. Here's to you, Mr. Pepero Day maker guy. You've turned a cookie into a national holiday.