'WOK of Mouth': Creating a Successful B2B2C Campaign to Win People's Hearts

The uniqueness of the gas stove market in Thailand 

As gas stove products are considered items closely related to consumers' daily lives, playing an important role in food preparation both in households and in numerous restaurants widely distributed throughout Thailand, marketing these products must be a collaborative effort from all parties involved. This includes ensuring the highest level of safety and quality from manufacturers, and a thorough understanding of the product by distributors to provide proper usage guidance and maintenance for end-users in various food establishments and households. 

In this context, they require access to high-quality products at reasonable prices for food preparation. As a result, this type of work goes beyond mere marketing; it is about creating satisfaction and passing on value from beginning to end.

To remain a market leader and icon, a brand must address long-term consumer needs and solutions.

How to be the number one "in people's hearts" 

For Thailand's number one cooking gas brand, PTT LPG, the challenge was not to increase sales because the company is already a market leader. It was instead about ensuring that customers, neighborhood restaurants, and gas stove retailers receive both quality and happiness. To that end, Yell devised a campaign concept that recognises and rewards local restaurants while also promoting mutual benefits and shared value for all. 

• In the B2B context, distributors were encouraged to promote sales to nearby community restaurants. 
• The primary focus in the B2C scenario was on community restaurants facing ongoing challenges post-covid and adapting to changing competitive landscapes.

This emphasised the significance of being a reputable brand, delivering value particularly to the majority of consumers who dine at local restaurants close to their homes.

Creating rules with the user in mind, rather than the brand's interests.

Giving comes first, not receiving 

The intent of PTT LPG is to genuinely support community businesses. Hence, the idea of awarding not just through typical competitions, but by seeking out and recognising the community-favourite restaurants that emerged. People in the community came together to vote for their favourite eateries and share impressive stories. After that, the PTT team visited and bestowed awards to the selected recipients. All of this served as a means to endorse and promote these restaurants, as well as to enhance marketing through PTT LPG's extensive and well-followed media presence. 

Moreover, the uniqueness of this campaign lay in its very inclusive terms, as whether or not a restaurant uses PTT LPG, they can participate in this initiative. Ultimately, if selected through the nomination process, they received PTT LPG for free for another six months. Alternatively, if they appreciated the standards, they had the option to continue to be or become regular customers with the nearby distributors.

Campaign outcomes showing B2B2C impact.

The reward for heartfelt effort 

• Roughly 500 nominations per community 
• 150 vendors promoted nationwide
• 6M engaged throughout the campaign 

Widespread positive feedback was received, directly benefiting our distributors, as well as fostering happiness among local restaurants and regular customers who assess value beyond measure. This was a result of the impressive stories shared by loyal customers from various eateries 

All of this unfolded within a span of one and a half months of campaigning. It's evident that executing B2B2C isn't a straightforward task. It requires a deep understanding and attention to detail amid a multitude of campaigns. It's not just about creating advertisements or online posts to manage award distribution to various restaurants; rather, it begins with listening to the voices of everyone involved in the process.

References: 

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/05/18/the challenges-of-b2b2c-marketing-in-major-corporations/?sh=722af1a1776a 
• https://tanktankboktor.com/ 
• https://theecommmanager.com/ecommerce/b2b2c/