Innovation of agricultural brand communication for value-added in Thai rubber to global market

Abstract

The title of this study is “Innovation of Agricultural Brand Communication for Value-Added in Thai Rubber to Global Market”. The objectives of this study are 1) to study the brand building communications process of Thai rubber to create more value in the global market, 2) to study the brand communications strategy for Thai rubber to enter the global market and become Thailand’s business ambassador, 3) to study the factors that have an impact on propelling the Thai rubber brand to the global market, and 4) to develop the brand communications framework for developing Thai rubber as an agricultural product in the global market. This study employs the qualitative research methodology by categorizing the analyses into three parts as follow: The first part is Content Analysis. This part is the study of content analysis of National Strategy B.E. 2561-2580, Thailand 20-Year Natural Rubber Strategic Plan (B.E. 2560-2579), and Master plan of Rubber Authority of Thailand B.E. 2560-2564 (4th amended during B.E. 2562-2564) for analyzing the brand communication process, brand communication strategy and factors affecting communication on creating Thai’s rubber brand to global market. The second part is to study guidelines, strategies, process, procedure in selling Thai’s rubber products to international market, and factors affecting the communicated approach to add value to Thai’s rubber. In this part, the researcher studied rubber producers in Thailand by using the In-Depth Interview methodology. There are six key informants including government agency (Rubber Authority of Thailand), the rubber farmer institutes sector (Ban Khao Sok rubber fund cooperative, Chonburi province and the Trang rubber fund co-operative federation), Thai rubber entrepreneurs (Thai rubber Association and Thai Latex Concentrate Association) a licensed brokerage company) and Those with the role for making the decision to purchase Thai rubber (Triple and Forwarding Co., Ltd.: Licensed brokerage company). In the final part, this part is to study Consumers of Thai rubber products abroad by in-depth interviews for analyzing attitudes and behaviors in deciding to buy rubber goods and products from Thailand by focusing on effective communication approach, communication strategies for operating rubber businesses. Five key informants were personal communication from five countries including 1) Helsinco Middle East LLC, Dohar, Qatar, 2) Mohammed Ali Al-Ghamdi Trading Est., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 3) Dhaishar Global Co. Ltd., Moulvibazar, Bangladesh and Hemingway Group, England, 4) Pai Cha Tar Wang Rubber Co., Ltd., the People’s Republic of China and 5) NORINCO Shanghai Co. Ltd., the People’s Republic of China, which is the main rubber market for Thailand. It was found that Thai Rubber’s Brand Communication for increasing value in the global rubber market is available to brand the Agricultural Commodity. Rubber goods and products are commodity goods and have different shapes and usages. These properties might be affected brand communication process in adding value in global market differently for brand creation process for raw rubber goods such as block rubber, smoked sheet rubber, fresh latex, concentrated latex, cup lump, etc. Rubber is well known in the international market because consumers buy for processing in various industries such as automotive industry, rubber glove industry, etc. Therefore, there is unnecessary to create brand for rubber products as each rubber producers, including rubber farmer institutes and rubber entrepreneurs, have their own commercial brands before export for traceability of goods. However, for the primary rubber raw material, if there is a need to add value to Thai’s rubber in global market, Brand Equity and Brand Perceived Quality are required for Brand Loyalty and Brand Awareness. The mentioned brand should be created under the title “Made in Thailand” to be a certified trademark. Government organization such as Rubber Authority of Thailand should communicate brand awareness for marking positive attitudes and perceptions of customer and increasing competitive advantage of Thai’ rubber with other rubber producing countries. Regarding the brand communication process for rubber products, Thailand should create a brand of rubber products under the name “Rubber Product of Thailand” and promote the image in the target markets for creating Brand Perceived Quality and Brand Awareness. This could enhance the acceptance of quality and standard of Thai’s rubber for the development of Thai’s rubber sector. In the view of consumer in the international market were known and were aware of the properties of Thai rubber in terms of quality from raw material rubber products. It could be said that rubber is an economic crop that consumers are known and familiar with on a global scale. Therefore, the brand communication process of rubber products must be linked to the brand of rubber goods. The type of raw material that is known and believes in quality with competitive advantage in the market compared to other countries. In addition, to make value on Thai rubber products, the creation of innovative rubber products and proactive marketing should be accelerated to create opportunities for Thai rubber products in the world market. The major strategy of Thai Rubber’s Brand Communication in the global market should be used Integrated Marketing Communication and Customer Relation Management Strategies because rubber goods and products are highly competitive as many countries also produce. The customers need to touch rubber goods and products through visiting the production process, communication with personal selling and try to use them for gaining confidence in rubber goods and products before making a purchase. The customer relation management strategy would enhance the customer confidence and brand royalty. This strategy might enhance existing customers to introduce rubber goods and products to other customers. However, guidelines for brand communication of rubber goods of new entrepreneur who need to export rubber to international market should be used price strategy for stimulating and persuading consumers to be interested in purchasing the goods. International customers who know Thai’ raw rubber brand for long time such as People’s Republic of China, the largest rubber consumer in Thailand and the world, would highly attention and concern about brand. Regarding guideline for marketing, integrated marketing communication strategy through sponsorship marketing/cooperation activities with companies or organizations in the targeted countries should be employed to be a communication and sell agents for customers. This strategy might strengthen confidence and acceptance for new brand to easily enter to market. Regarding Marketing Public Relation strategy and Brand ambassador marketing strategy, if Thailand has created rubber brand for global market as mentioned, these strategies could be used for communication and marketing for new rubber goods and products for adding value toward consumers. However, guidelines in developing Thai rubber to be a brand ambassador of agricultural products are needed to be developed in many aspects such as building knowledge, understanding, and integrating with many stakeholders including the government sectors, private sectors and rubber farmer institutes. As the first step, Thailand should use the mentioned strategies in term of communication by the government and Rubber Authority of Thailand should be a “Brand Ambassador” for the government to manage rubber system including marketing communication system. In addition, it was found that factors affecting brand communication for rubber goods and products are included 1) internal factors: government policy, human resource capability in research, innovation, and management, finance, production, and communication and marketing, 2) external factors: the market situation of rubber, competitors, and international consumer’s behavior and attitude. Therefore, conceptual framework of brand communication of Thai Rubber as agricultural commodity to global market will extend knowledge and apply conceptual framework and theory to practice of every stakeholder. This will benefit agricultural communication and business by develop and add value to agricultural product towards global level. This study could be a part of communication innovation which will benefit for agricultural sector, business sector, and other sectors.