In-depth report and analysis on online vdo consumption in Southeast Asia conducted by Media Partners Asia (MPA), a consultancy and market research firm, indicates that in 2023, streaming platforms in the region are expected to prioritize customer retention, managing service terminations, and addressing potential price hikes as core factors.
In its first-quarter 2023 report on online video in Southeast Asia, MPA highlights TrueID as a burgeoning streaming platform in Thailand, boasting a 30% share of the Premium Video On Demand audience. This achievement can be attributed to the platform’s strength in offering Premiere League Football content.
True Blog spoke with the TrueID team about their ongoing strategy and vision amidst the challenging streaming platform battlefield in Thailand, where the key strategy is to create differentiation and variety in the market, focusing on content and services that exclusively deliver value and exceptional experiences for users in Thailand.
Think globally, act locally
“Compared to other players in the market, TrueID is considered the leading platform with strengths in content beyond video streaming. This includes Live TV, Video On Demand (VOD), Music, and News & Articles. More importantly, TrueID has carefully selected content that caters to the preferences of Thai audiences,” Nathasiri Thanapattienlert, Strategic Synergy Lead of TrueID started by explaining TrueID’s market position.
As of May 2023, the TrueID application has reached 36 million Monthly Active Users (MAU), a significant increase from the pre-COVID-19 period in 2019 when it had just 10 million users. Out of these users, around 75% are existing True customers, while the remaining 25% are general users.
The primary factor propelling TrueID to its leading position in the Streaming Platform battlefield can be attributed to its effective content strategies, which include the following:
- Partnership: TrueID has established collaborations with True Visions Now, a prominent sports content leader. This partnership enables TrueID to provide live world-class sports programs, including popular events such as the English Premier League and beIN Sports. Notably, these offerings garnered an impressive viewership of over 42 million during the 2022 World Cup.
- Exclusive Content: TrueID offers a diverse range of content, both through copyright acquisitions and the production of original series. Collaborating with True CJ Creation, a joint-venture company between True Visions Group and a South Korean-based entity, TrueID presents exclusive shows such as Signal 23:23.
- Localization: To cater to the mass market and eliminate language barriers, TrueID ensures nearly 100% of its content is localized with Thai dubbing. This approach enables a wide audience to access international content, fostering inclusivity and equality.
- Personalization: TrueID employs AI analysis to personalize content selection based on individual interests. This is achieved through categorizing users into 10 Persona Segments, including Fan Ball, Anime Mania, Reality Fan, True Smart, Live Streamer, Reward Seeker, Trend Rider, Series Addict, Premium Streamer, and Casual Streamer. Such personalization enhances the user experience and satisfaction.
The Ultimate Super App
TrueID has been purposefully developed as a comprehensive super app, enabling seamless mobile access for all users. With a wide range of features, TrueID offers True customers a complete ecosystem that encompasses content accessibility, True You Privileges redemption, advanced service payments via True Money Wallet, online shopping integration with merchandise partners, and services such as Call & Chat.
TrueID has been developed to deliver the best experiences for all target groups, creating equal access, minimizing usage complexity, and adjusting to the current social environment.
We have introduced the Myanmar language option to cater to the significant number of Burmese individuals working in Thailand. Additionally, we have simplified our features to meet the demands of our growing segment of elderly customers – Nathasiri said
Becoming a Content Aggregator
TrueID’s working motto, according to Nathasiri, is “TrueID requires fast adjustability.” This reflects their focus on becoming a Content Aggregator in the future through collaborations and partnerships. By combining various services, TrueID aims to offer competitive advantages such as partner privileges, attractive bundled packages, and more options to attract different target groups. These efforts are geared towards reducing customer churn rate and providing added value to existing customers.
Additionally, TrueID has implemented a strategy to promote short form content in line with the current user trend. This approach aims to increase viewing opportunities and generate revenue for the platform by offering a wide range of products and services. “In the past few years, we have observed the increasing popularity of short form content. To cater to this demand, we have created short highlights for users to scroll through. If users wish to read the full content, they can simply press a button to access the full version,” Nathasiri explains.
Another key differentiating factor for TrueID compared to its competitors is the inclusion of a community feature in the form of User-Generated Content (UGC). TrueID allows users within the community to create diverse content and actively participate, promoting their role within the brand and community. This supports TrueID’s content aggregator strategy, where users can review and suggest content and services on the platform. This interactive approach builds credibility, earns user trust, and ultimately attracts more new users to the platform.
Empowering Diversity
Behind the TrueID team, responsible for serving the diverse needs of customers, is a workforce of 200 team members with varying skill sets based on their individual personalities, ages, genders, backgrounds, and interests. Diversity plays a vital role in nurturing creativity within the team, as it brings forth a range of perspectives and ideas from team members who represent the 10 persona segments in the market. By empowering diversity, this allows TrueID to better select content that matches the demands of various customer groups and develop innovations that are accessible to everyone.
The product creation team responsible for inventing various services must actively listen to the perceptions and views of other teams, such as the commercial and sales teams. By considering feedback on user journey and conducting internal service testing, we continuously strive to improve and develop services that are tailored to best suit our users – Nathasiri said
Phasathorn Suwansri, Data Scientist from Digital Growth Insight, plays a crucial role in managing back-office data, ensuring compliance with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Working alongside a diverse team with varied experiences in data utilization, they have fostered a creative approach to data preparation that caters to different business units. This collaborative effort enables the team to develop innovative solutions that best align with market demands.
Phasathorn Suwansri highlights the importance of understanding the intended use of data in order to present it in a comprehensive format
First, we must have a thorough understanding of how the data will be utilized to ensure it is presented in a manner that is easily comprehensible. Some teams may prefer working with raw data, while others may benefit from digested data presented in a specific order – Phasathorn
he explained. Furthermore, Phasathorn emphasizes that collaborating with diverse teams in different roles has enhanced his understanding of various dimensions within the organization. This holistic perspective enables him to connect experiences and gain a clearer overall picture of the organization.
Jiraphat Jaiyen, Associate Product Owner, and Rattamont Teekavanich, Senior Product Owner, both highlight the positive impact of working with a diverse group of individuals in igniting ideas for new projects. They express that when the organization encourages openness and courage for individuals to be their true selves in every dimension, it creates a sense of psychological safety.
We collaborate with respect and have full confidence in each other’s abilities in our roles. When everyone feels empowered and accepted, we can perform at our best – Jiraphat concluded
True Corporation recognizes the value of diversity and its pivotal role in fostering innovation and driving success. As part of its celebration of Pride Month, the company introduces the #BringYourBest campaign, advocating for a safe and inclusive work environment that encourages individuals to bring their whole selves to work.
