PRESS RELEASE:
“Moo Deng” or the “Bouncing Pig,” a popular pygmy hippo from Khao Kheow Open Zoo, has taken the internet by storm, inspiring countless memes and creative content. Her cuteness has also attracted international media attention, showing how powerful social media marketing can be for generating excitement and engagement with audiences.
Following the viral success of Moo Deng, Dataxet Co., Ltd. employed the DXT360 tool for social listening from July 28th to September 18th, 2024, to analyze data. The findings revealed that “Moo Deng” was mentioned (Through specific tagging) 8,678 times on social media, generating a total engagement of 38,440,092 interactions. The platform Facebook had the highest mention count at 5,263 times, while TikTok saw the most engagement at 34,674,750 interactions.
The Power of Social Media and “Moo Deng”
Social media is a great way to connect with audiences. The case of Khao Kheow Open Zoo began with employees posting adorable animal clips, which went viral globally. This phenomenon provided the zoo with an opportunity to use Moo Deng’s popularity for communication, creating content and organizing activities to reach a broader audience to improve its image and awareness.
The interest in Moo Deng extends far beyond Thailand, with media outlets from Japan, Russia, and the United States also showing interest in her. This global fascination has inspired other countries to showcase their cute animals to compete with Moo Deng, such as “Nemunemu,” a pygmy hippo from Japan, resulting in numerous cute and funny video clips of animals on social media.
Timeline of “Moo Deng”
The fame of Moo Deng from Khao Kheow Open Zoo has an interesting starting point on TikTok through the account “Khamoo and the Gang” (@khamoo.andthegang). The first clip featuring Moo Deng was debuted in late July 2024, which captured significant interest. Although engagement was relatively stable initially, a turning point occurred when the hashtag #WhenWillMooDengBounce (หมูเด้งจะเด้งกี่โมง) was used, leading to a viral explosion.
The creative use of this hashtag propelled Moo Deng’s trend to become a viral sensation, making it one of the top hashtags on both X (Twitter) and TikTok. This phenomenon illustrates how effective hashtags can help people remember and find related content, which contributed to the increase in engagement after the hashtag was introduced.
Benefits for Khao Kheow Open Zoo
Moo Deng’s popularity has positively impacted Khao Kheow Open Zoo, as seen from the increasing public interest in its animals, leading to a significant rise in zoo attendance. This phenomenon not only boosts the zoo’s revenue but also creates opportunities for raising awareness about animal conservation on a broader scale.
With more interest, the zoo has adapted its communication strategies to meet the more diverse needs of its audience. This adaptation includes effectively using social media, organizing fun events, and providing interesting information about other animals—not just Moo Deng.
Recently, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo has made Moo Deng accessible for viewing 24 hours a day through the online platform, www.zoodio.live, to offer a new way for viewers to enter the wildlife world in real-time. Interested parties can experience and learn about the lifestyles of different animals closely through their screens, creating a new experience of zoo tourism unrestricted by time and place.
Moo Deng Fever! New Business Opportunities from Moo Deng
Accommodation at Khao Kheow Open Zoo: Don’t just visit—stay overnight! The zoo has recognized an opportunity to improve its business by addressing the long queues to see Moo Deng. The zoo now promotes overnight accommodation services to allow visitors to wake up and see Moo Deng without waiting in line. They can also enjoy stargazing at night.
Annual Passes: The Khao Kheow Open Zoo has introduced an annual pass to offer great value for visitors. For a single payment, one pass allows entry for four people over one year, with no limit on the number of visits. This strategy encourages repeat visits rather than seeking new customers, eliminating expensive advertising costs and making it easier to retain existing customers. This benefits the zoo with guaranteed income while providing customers the opportunity to visit as often as they wish to see Moo Deng, along with the chance to see other animals.
Merchandise: Moo Deng-Themed Clothes: T-shirts and pants featuring Moo Deng design are not just ordinary clothing; they serve as a medium for creating a connection between buyers and Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Each time someone wears a Moo Deng item, they are reminded of their enjoyable experiences with Moo Deng, whether directly or when they watch Moo Deng content.
Many Brands Seize Opportunities to Create Moo Deng Content and Boost Brand Awareness
The cuteness of Moo Deng not only impresses the general public but also attracts the attention of various brands. The viral sensation of Moo Deng provides opportunities for several brands to create real-time content to improve their brand awareness. This approach enables brands to reach consumers more broadly and swiftly by leveraging the popularity of Moo Deng as a driving force.
Creating such content not only increases brand awareness but also showcases the brands’ modernity and understanding of social trends. This can lead to long-term positive relationships with consumers.
The information used for analysis to gather these insights was collected from DXT360 (a Social Listening and Media Monitoring Platform) by Dataxet Co., Ltd. The data was collected from July 28th to September 18th, 2024.
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