Thai consumer: Is celebrity influence still a force to be reckoned with in the social media age?

[webfact]

Is celebrity influence still a force to be reckoned with in the social media age?
THE NATION

THAILAND is a very celebrity-centric country. Celebs have been a part of the media and marketing scene dating back to the latter half of the last century. If you were to turn on a television at any given time, you would definitely see celebrities endorsing products in commercials, giving confirmation to consumers that they were making the right choice.

Celebrity endorsement has always been how things are done here in Thailand. Any marketer with a budget would have no reason to turn down the use of celebs, as their influential powers can add credibility and profitability beyond imagination.

However, that was a matter of the past.

The world is reaching its peak of borderless social connectivity.

We may have to ask ourselves: Are the influential powers of celebrities a force to still be reckoned with?

Let's take a leap through the recent development in consumer behaviour to see whether this still rings true.

According to recent consumer studies from leading sources in Thailand such as Video Research's T-Cube, IPG Mediabrands' Wave Studies and even Google, consumers are not like they were a few years ago.

From T-Cube's data, only 20 per cent of Thai consumers believe in endorsements and recommendations from celebrities. The interesting point is that this percentage has remained the same across three years of tracking. The stagnated trend from this data point is saying celebrities have not totally lost their power in Thailand but rather have seen no significant improvement in their power to influence. This is an indication that Thais are now listening to someone or something else.

That is exactly where another set of data interjects.

According to Wave consumer studies from IPG Mediabrands, Thai consumers are now turning to someone else for influence, and that someone else is none other than their fellow consumers.

From four years' worth of data, Wave studies have shown a 15-per-cent increase in Thai consumers who have admitted that their decisions are influenced by online opinions from other users.

To top off this increase in consumer influential power, trend data from search giant Google have also shown a doubling in search volume for "reviews" and "consumer reviews" in Thailand during the last five years. This fact alone is signalling the change in Thai consumer preferences - that they value the words of others more than the words of celebrities.

From this paradigm shift, should marketers still rely on celebrities? The answer is yes, but they will have to play a different role than that of an influencer.

Marketers should be using celebs for what they are well known for. Their strength now is visibility, as each of the popular celebs here comes with his or her own set of fans whom they are able to interact with on regular basis through social and online channels.

Marketers should then be using consumers for their strength in convincing one another.

When planning a marketing campaign involving celebs, marketers should consider every possible angle to make sure that celebs and consumers are being used correctly and orderly.

For example, celebs can be used to generate and maximise awareness of products or services whether through above-the-line media or social channels to kick start the campaign. This action can then trigger fans and followers to help spread the word.

After the messages are spread by social media, marketers should start identifying who are the most influential consumers and use them next with things like reviews, product tests or testimonials. These contributions by influential consumers should be informative yet entertaining, all in an easy-to-follow language to help influence other consumers.

There are still many other options one can explore when using celebs and consumer influencers. This is but one illustration of how the campaign could flow.

The importance of consumers' words is becoming more and more significant, while celebs are reaching the point of being just nice to have from the mass consumers' point of view. It is up to you to use them suitably and only then will you be able to maximise your investment in the use of celebs.

People have spoken, provide them a script.

Maas Virajoti is head of strategy and innovation at IPG Mediabrands Thailand.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Is-celebrity-influence-still-a-force-to-be-reckone-30251918.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-15

[keith101]

celebrities are used to endorse products in every country in the world so why should Thailand be any different

[PatOngo]

celebrities are used to endorse products in every country in the world so why should Thailand be any different

Yes, but ask yourself, does the rest of the world have Thainess?

[bkkjames]

Sounds like a print taking a shot at online....one could only wonder why....lol

[WhizBang]

Only the weak minded and addle brained would make a purchasing decision based on a 'celebrity' endorsement.

Oh, right... Thailand.

[noitom]

Thai don't listen to any one, why would they heed the advice of celebrities?

[Katipo]

celebrities are used to endorse products in every country in the world so why should Thailand be any different

Agreed. But the extent to which celebrities are used in Thailand is far greater than in the west. You can see the same celebrities selling everything from cars, to chewing gum, sanitary pads, and various health remedies. it is very rare to see a no-name billboard.

Perhaps this has been because in a country where it is all too easy to rip people off, a familiar "trusting" face makes all the difference.

Now thanks to social media, these celebrities are often being exposed as being just as bad as the other elite. Then they are using that same tool to find out what products/services can really be trusted by turning to 'normal' Thai's such as themselves. People who you see as the same or similar to you are the easiest to relate to.

[SoFarAndNear]

It is funny to see a famous actor or actress that probably is driving a ferrari or porsche advertise a Mitsubish Mirage....

In my home country we had some heavy discussion a few years back when a very famous celebrity made commercial for a super low price clothes store where you can buy a T-Shirt for 2 dollars and a jeans for 10 dollars.... in real this woman would never ever buy a shirt at this store...

Edited January 15, 2015 by SoFarAndNear

[mike324]

celebrities are used to endorse products in every country in the world so why should Thailand be any different

Agreed. But the extent to which celebrities are used in Thailand is far greater than in the west. You can see the same celebrities selling everything from cars, to chewing gum, sanitary pads, and various health remedies. it is very rare to see a no-name billboard.

Perhaps this has been because in a country where it is all too easy to rip people off, a familiar "trusting" face makes all the difference.

Now thanks to social media, these celebrities are often being exposed as being just as bad as the other elite. Then they are using that same tool to find out what products/services can really be trusted by turning to 'normal' Thai's such as themselves. People who you see as the same or similar to you are the easiest to relate to.

I wouldn't call it a rip off, marketing a can of coke is rip off? sanitary pads are rip off? cold medicine are scams? Most of these marketed goods are sold in retail stores where prices are regulated by the manufacturer. Plus it has nothing to do with the elite! don't know where you are coming from.

Marketing is to bring product awareness, not to rip people off. I think you should be able to differentiate that and not group it together. Now if the product marketed does not work as advertise, then yes you can call it a ripe off / false marketing and there is a consumer hotline for it.

[outsider]

Thai don't listen to any one, why would they heed the advice of celebrities?

Actually, it's the contrary, me thinks. They don't listen to any one unless that person is a celebrity. Better if that person is a 'superstar'!

[mike324]

celebrities are used to endorse products in every country in the world so why should Thailand be any different

Agree, I think Thailand is no different. Its just with social media and more people are connected to the internet, people search for reviews and ask friends on social media before purchasing a product, instead of just relying on a simple TV commercial like back in the 90s, 80s and past.

[wabothai]

I sincerely hope there will be some more independant thinking, rather than following the endorsement of some nit....

[Jeremy50]

celebrities are used to endorse products in every country in the world so why should Thailand be any different

In the west many people show scepticism and indifference towards 'celebs'. Not so here.

[rickirs]

Maybe someone can get Gen. Prayuth to do a cooking episode on TV for traditional Thai food. Pay him a nominal $300 for a favorite charity.

He could include it in one of his weekly televised presentations.

Now that would be de j'ai vue.

[SinCityGr8One]

The Question of the Day: Do the Celebrities (really) use them? Over a decade ago, Shane Warne signed on to endorse quit-smoking aid Nicorette. He was supposedly paid a couple of Hundred Thousand Dollars to quit smoking, yet was later busted lighting up. In 2012, Football star Ronaldinho, who was reportedly paid Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars to be the face of Coke, was photographed drinking Pepsi at a press conference. Actress Eva Longoria has recently been endorsing Dine cat food. In a TV ad, she says: “My passion, my cat, my choice.” Unfortunately for Longoria, she later confessed in an Australian newspaper that she does not own a cat.

I always got a laugh when I was flipping through the TV channels and seen an advertisement with a couple of SeXXXy Big Boobed Thai Chicks touting the benefits of SuperMax capsules that will enlarge your Gentleman's Sausage to incredible proportions, that would probably scare away most sane Females. Yeah, sure they'll work! I suggest Truth in Advertising Laws to be enacted in the Kingdom immediately.

The endorsements and information promoted by celebrities towards advertised products are artistic works of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything presented by them as as fact. To clarify matters, all advertisements regarding any product should have a disclaimer at the end that the Celebrity was compensated. IMHO.

[Mudcrab]

celebrities are used to endorse products in every country in the world so why should Thailand be any different

Agreed. But the extent to which celebrities are used in Thailand is far greater than in the west. You can see the same celebrities selling everything from cars, to chewing gum, sanitary pads, and various health remedies. it is very rare to see a no-name billboard.

Perhaps this has been because in a country where it is all too easy to rip people off, a familiar "trusting" face makes all the difference.

Now thanks to social media, these celebrities are often being exposed as being just as bad as the other elite. Then they are using that same tool to find out what products/services can really be trusted by turning to 'normal' Thai's such as themselves. People who you see as the same or similar to you are the easiest to relate to.

Seem to recall an actor and a wrestler became state governors in the US.

Ronnie Reagan went all the way and became President.

Apparently it's not just a Thai thing.