Bangkok--11 Sep--Hill & Knowlton
The Tetra Pak Index 2017 focuses on the rise of the Connected Consumer, and what it means for brands in Thailand and South East Asia to thrive in a digital, information-saturated world
With 67% internet penetration and 133% mobile penetration , Thailand's rapidly increasing 'connected consumers' segment is redefining the new rules of engagement for brands, reveals the Tetra Pak Index 2017. With Thais leading the world on the number of hours spent on internet via mobile devices (4.14 hours), and Bangkok as the city with the most Facebook users (24 million) , the report indicates that winning over today's empowered, connected consumers presents brands with an increasingly complex environment - yet novel opportunities.
Themed around 'The Connected Consumer,' the 10th edition of the Tetra Pak Index is based on 70,000 samples from 57 markets. The Index explores the evolving world of digital and online consumers, and how they connect with food and beverage brands. Results show that effectively engaging with this growing consumer group is critical for business growth. Versus the global average of 91%, Thailand has 97% smartphone device ownership, representing a large portion of consumers that purchase and connect exclusively via mobile. Thais also show higher engagement with brands on social media, with 44% saying they follow brands they like, compared to the worldwide average of 37%². These rapid growth rates indicate that brands need to match this pace of change and evolve their strategies to thrive, by initiating, joining and helping shape connected conversations.
"Thailand is a strikingly digitally-connected society with liberal use of social media, often at the top of the global spectrum. In addition, the Internet allows consumers to provide instant feedback and provides influence in an autonomous fashion. This means that the platforms that brands can engage Thai people have tremendous opportunity. However, content diversification is required to maintain the interest of this next group of power-spenders," says Ratanasiri Tilokskulchai, Marketing Director Tetra Pak Thailand.
The Index also demonstrates how the customer journey is shifting from a relatively linear process to a complex network of multiple touch points. Greater connectivity and the proliferation of online platforms present a challenge for brands, as consumers expect a consistent experience and messaging across all the touchpoints where they interact especially on social media.
The third-party, user-generated content is becoming ever more important particularly for South East Asia where more than 1.5 billion people are now using social media monthly, with 95% accessing platforms via mobile devices – the highest ratio in the world . Product research and convenience are also other key factors that motivate consumers in this region to go online to shop³. Thailand is no different. Within 2017 the e-commerce sector is expected to expand by 20 per cent, worth Bt2.52 trillion .
In addition, the report demonstrates that food and beverage packaging has an increasingly important role to play in offering a gateway to greater consumer engagement. Reinforcing this interest is the 43% of Thai internet users saying they are 'strongly' interested in food and related subjects . Newest packaging innovations include digital codes printed on packages to improve traceability transparency to allow consumers to access information about the product right down to the source. The package can also be transformed into a platform for two-way information flow where brands can capture specific, valuable data about their consumers as well as share more information about the product itself.
"Packaging is a stimulating component of engaging modern consumers. Having sold close to 190 billion packages in 2016, the potential reach of digital packages is substantially greater than any social media platform. It is also a way for brands to capitalize on Connected Consumer's love of deeper brand engagements. To drive this forward, Tetra Pak is piloting the use of new digital technologies like augmented reality in our packaging to help brands attract and connect with this new generation of customers," says Ratanasiri Tilokskulchai, Marketing Director Tetra Pak Thailand.