Bloggers, newspapers and even film companies are catching on to this newfangled thing called the Internet and the even newerfangled advent of "the social media".Among the big Thai studios tapping into social-networking websites and services like Facebook and Twitter is GMM Tai Hub (GTH), the film arm of music and media conglomerate GMM Grammy.
In an article in yesterday's Nation, Byteline reporter Asina Pornwasin talked to GTH's new media and online-business manager, Dej-udom Khemdaeng:
We want to create human-style communications, so our messages via both Facebook and Twitter are done by dedicated people. We do not use Twitter bots to distribute messages. Communication over the social media must be real and frank. It is real-time two-way communication that can create a viral effect, so it is a two-edged sword. If a message is good, it is good, but if a message is negative, it is not good for us," Dej-udom said.
GTH uses Facebook and Twitter not only as marketing tools by engaging in friendly conversations, but its use of the social networks also has a customer-relationship management function. It also makes news announcements directly over the social networks and when clarification is called for, it can also be done directly, in real time.
GTH currently has more that 12,000 followers at @gthchannel and has more than 57,000 fans at its Facebook fan page.
"Our task is more and more difficult as we have to maintain and manage our members. We want to develop long-term relationships with them, so we have to create innovative ideas to engage online people who, naturally enough, are easily bored," Dej-udom said.
There's also a friend page for GTH Channel, but it's maxed out. It can't have more "friends".
GTH's bigger rival, Sahamongkol Film International, is also getting its social-networking act together. Sahamongkolfilm is on Twitter and Facebook, has a YouTube channel for its trailers and even the Sahamongkol website is looking spiffy after years of creating sites that became hosts for porn after the domains expired.
Still looking around for companies like Five Star Production and Phranakorn as well as the newer companies like motif+, M39 and Film R Us to get in on this social-networking thing.
I know!
ReplyDeletethese people are starting to get involved with Twitter and Facebook:/
Weird thing is, I seldom go to any of those "Social Networking" sites for news on films....
ReplyDeleteJust too darn many chances to pick up viruses at either Facebook or Myspace to make it worth chancing.
I tend to rely on finding out things from trusted Blogs.... (Like this one...Hehehe...) But it's still interesting to see them move in the positive direction of understanding the value of all the potential exposure they can get on the web for creating word of mouth on a film.