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Perplexity is making its biggest marketing bet yet.
The AI search startup has launched its first celebrity-led ad campaign, starring Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae, in a mid-seven-figure buy across major streaming platforms.
The 90-second ad spot, filmed in Korea, takes a playful jab at Google, dubbed “Poogle” in the ad.
Jung-jae, caught in a Squid Game-like scenario, is trapped in a room with three pressing questions. He first turns to Poogle for answers but is instead shown a list of links. Panicked, he then asks Perplexity—using its voice model—how to remove coffee stains from a white shirt and immediately receives a clear, step-by-step process that helps him escape. Another scene sees him ask, “How do I make cheese stick to pizza?” to which Perplexity quips, “Don’t use glue.”
Future content will show how Jung-jae uses Perplexity in daily life.
The ad marks the beginning of a yearlong partnership between Perplexity and Jung-jae’s management company, Artist United. The firm, which Jung-jae co-owns, has integrated Perplexity’s enterprise pro tier into its workflows for research, drafting, and API-based integration. Perplexity’s chief business officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, told ADWEEK that this was a natural extension of the partnership rather than a cost-offsetting tactic.
“This is a major ad purchase for us,” Shevelenko added.
The timing of the campaign is strategic. Netflix is expected to release Squid Game’s third season in June, giving Perplexity an opportunity to cement itself as a mainstream consumer brand. The startup—now valued at $9 billion—has expanded its product suite, launching an Android assistant, enhancing voice capabilities, and even dabbling in an AI-driven browser, Comet.
“We think you unlock a critical threshold of utility where it’s not just Perplexity is for tech early adopters, it truly is for everyone,” Shevelenko said. “It’s a natural evolution of becoming a staple consumer brand.”