The record-breaking live-streaming by Ratchanok “Janey” Suwannaket represents a good example of successful digital marketing that follows the “4 A’s” of success, which refers to algorithm, attention, all together and audience collaboration, according to a marketing academic.
Asst Prof Ake Pattaratanakun, head of Chulalongkorn Business School’s Marketing Department, analysed the elements that contributed to the success of Ms Ratchanok’s live-stream and said TikTok’s algorithm prioritises the consistency of live-streamers, rather than focusing solely on sales performance.
The algorithm favours consistent live-streamers, rewarding those who produce engaging and creative content regularly, which is evident in Ms Ratchanok’s case.
Attention also plays a vital role, as before her live-stream marathon, Ms Ratchanok shared personal stories about her family, which drew significant public interest.
Her live-streams also took place close to the popular “double day” shopping event on Oct 10 (10.10), when consumers were in the mood to shop.
Timing, storytelling and a favourable algorithm helped boost her live-stream and sales to new heights, said Mr Ake.
According to a post by Ms Ratchanok on Facebook, total sales for the six-day (Oct 9-14) event tallied 557 million baht.
Mr Ake said in terms of the “all together” factor, many Asian cultures often embrace collectivism, unlike in Western societies. This leads to fear of missing out, the phenomenon where people take action because they are worried about being left out of social trends or not understanding what others are talking about.
When Ms Ratchanok’s live-streams began trending, many who never watched them before joined in to see what other people were talking about.
Regarding audience collaboration, Mr Ake said Ms Ratchanok successfully broadened her viewer base by partnering with other influencers and high-profile celebrities such as actress Patcharapa “Aum” Chaichua, attracting more viewers.
Many who had never heard of Ms Ratchanok before began tuning in to her live-streams, he said.
“All four factors together created a phenomenon,” said Mr Ake.
“While achieving such a phenomenon is possible, maintaining that level of success is much more difficult.”
SUSTAINING SUCCESS
He noted society has seen many influencers rise to fame quickly, then fade away shortly after.
“To sustain success, consistency, quality of products and services, content value and the creator’s good character are fundamental,” said Mr Ake.
To ensure sustainability, he suggested Thai brands could learn from global examples of artists and companies that turn audiences into loyal fanbases with strong emotional bonds.
For example, US singer, songwriter and actress Lady Gaga has a huge fan club called the “Little Monsters”, which has developed its own culture and activities, keeping them engaged over the years.
Mr Ake said maintaining fame requires more than just delivering quality work — people must also make positive contributions to society, such as through philanthropy.
IS IT FOR EVERYONE?
E-commerce live-streaming involves several costs, such as product costs, platform fees, delivery fees and collaboration fees.
If a large viewership generates significant promotional value, joining a high-viewership live-stream can serve as a powerful brand promotion opportunity, where direct profit may be secondary, he said.
However, large conglomerates may hesitate to place their flagship brands in real-time marketing campaigns as they must carefully assess the potential risks, said Mr Ake.
He said if a live-streamer’s personality aligns well with a brand’s image, big corporations could consider promoting brands that fall under their broader umbrella during these high-exposure marketing moments.