The paradigm of the whole global automotive industry is changing. It began to shift from manufacturing to service, from hardware to software and from engineering to IT-based processes. Asia has taken an increased share of sales globally. It is also the only major market expected to see continued growth in both the medium and long-term. Amidst the evolving marketplace, automotive brands are trying to find ways to stand out in the minds of consumers. Undeniably, there is a need to understand what’s resonating with their audiences regarding their brand, their competition, and their industry. In our social media insight report for the automotive industry, let’s take a closer look at their tactics and see how they are communicating with consumers.
Methodology
We tracked and analyzed social media accounts from renowned automotive brands across Asia – limiting our scope to Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia. Our main goal is to understand the top trends in terms of content and functions leveraged, among others. Although we primarily analyzed content from Instagram, we have also extended our research to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, articles, blogs and online media to gather multiple insights. Our analysis was done during the last quarter (Oct-Dec) of 2019. Please note that all data in this report are accurate from the date of its creation and are subject to change from the date of publication.
Overall Social Media Automotive Insights:
Common Instagram marketing practice carried out by brands in Asia:
A mix of localized and global content for long-term engagement
The key to content is to build on the core brand message with storytelling that resonates with the target audience
IGTV (Instagram TV), long-form videos
Video content is not only good at rationalizing the technology of cars, but also persuasive in expressing the emotional relationship between the customer and the brand
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Collaborate with local influencers
Some brands will collaborate with local influencers to promote their products, primarily activating lifestyle & photography influencers
Common social media insights of the automotive industry across Asia:
- Include the heritage of the brand in the creative
Produce content with heritage at its core. Although customers desire models and technology that are innovative, different and stylish, and with an aspirational tone, this can be further enhanced with the proper context of the brand’s heritage.
- IG Stories is a popular format for sharing content
Keep in mind how video stories engage the audience. Objectives can be reached by producing live video, speaker reveals, influencers, Q&As and more. Moreover, creating “Highlights” on their IG account allows the audience to watch certain stories and content more than once.
- Content from consumer experience by the general public
As consumers are the main target in any line of work, understanding their experience is paramount in narrowing the gap between brands and their consumers
Location-specific social media insights of the automotive industry in Asia:
Hong Kong
Automotive brands focused on content that creates synergy with the local audiences, using more locally-produced content on their channels.
Singapore
Brands are activating their owned audiences and profiling owners by extracting key quotes that aim at evoking emotional responses.
Taiwan
Collaboration between brands and a variety of celebrity KOLs who embody/share the personalities of the car/brand makes it easier for the audience to relate to.
South Korea
Brands are actively engaging with influencers who can deliver their brand identity and not just for popularity. Some brands make videos for their socially-relevant campaigns too.
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Japan
Content on major platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter remain largely the same where the brands usually post 70% global content and 30% local content.
Indonesia
Brands actively use hard-selling tactics on social media particularly discounts, cashback, and promotions. The use of celebrity quotes and endorsements alongside striking imagery to highlight the premium nature of the car brand is also quite popular.
Contact us if you are interested to have your brand analyzed, or if you would like to know more about social media marketing in Asia.
