Y Series is a phenomenon, growing rapidly without any sign of stopping. They have garnered a tremendous amount of interest and have spread across Asia. Y series actors have become extremely popular and are now making regular appearances at various events. This has made their fandom (Fanclub + Kingdom) grow as well. Marketers and brands should not overlook the power of fan clubs. Fans are looking to support the actors they like and the highest spenders average 10,552 baht per year. The average cost to attend one of these events is 4,103 baht per ticket (based on LINE insights).
With its market growth spiking without a pause, the time to act is now! This is a key corner of the market as it boasts high purchasing power.
LINE TV is considered the number one platform for Y series viewers, commanding 80% of the total viewership. Of these viewers, 78% are women. Compared to 2019, the number of views has increased by 3 times across every age group. It’s important to note that viewers often watch these series on their mobile devices. They also have a high rate of watching re-runs which in turn becomes the repeat contribution to the number of views. In fact, many people save certain scenes to re-watch to their heart's content.
In the past, many brands have turned to marketing towards this customer base. They have used a number of techniques including: Main Sponsor, Next Episode Sponsor, CO Sponsor, or VTR Sponsor. Some use tasteful product placement making sure their products aren’t distracting to the main story. The most successful items that have benefited from this kind of tie-in advertising are: drinks, snacks, skincare, clothing and cosmetics.
With Y series having such a strong audience base, fandom was sure to follow. Fans are both loving and supportive of their favorite actors. These supporters are growing in numbers. One way in which this group shows their support is through buying billboards. They do this to wish their actors a happy birthday or simply to send a supportive message. In doing so, they are helping to promote these actors as these billboards are often in areas that are very public and get a lot of attention such as BTS and MRT stations. Lately, signs have even been appearing on the back of tuk-tuks, and carts all around Bangkok.
Another way in which these supporters can promote their actors is on LINE TV. This platform lets users purchase ads to display during Y series to target specific groups. They could even place ads in other places to entice new attention towards the actors and their work from those who don’t even watch Y series. The fandom can use one of a variety of different options including Pre-roll ads, Smart Channel, and Master Banner through the LINE Ecosystem to reach no less than 47 million people. These options have visibility all over the country, not just in a few areas.
Buying an ad does not necessarily mean that the ad needs to promote some sort of product. It could be to publicize a message of some sort to target groups. By choosing who views the ad you can maximize its impact and ensure that your favorite actor will be noticed by millions more people.
Currently, it can be said that LINE TV is the online TV platform with the highest number of Y series. This market has an estimated value of 1 billion baht (according to MGR online) and, as was mentioned earlier, most Y Girls are willing to pay to support their beloved actors. This has actually created a new business called the ‘Y-Economy’. It’s not just the fandom that can take advantage of this but various brands as well. Those who jump on this opportunity may see a positive effect in the long run as they can cement their brand recognition on a huge group. Therefore, any brand that is interested in capitalizing on the opportunity should not neglect in grabbing the attention of the fandoms using various tools available on LINE for Business.
No matter which fandom you devote your love to, advertising through LINE is the best way to maximize the popularity of your favourite artist.
