The new Ocean Skin commercial recently became one of the most talked about topics in Chinese social media. (Photo : YouTube Screenshot)
A new three-minute ad for Thai skincare brand Ocean Skin, essentially a short story skit focusing on the steadfastness of a young woman willing to do anything for youthful skin, underlines the popularity of viral Thai ads among Chinese netizens.
Advertisements from Thailand, many of which come in two to three-minute short-movie formats, have long been the subject of international acclaim, given the sheer depth of their storytelling. From tearjerkers to comedies, viral Thai ads are proven hits online.
That explains the reason why the new Ocean Skin commercial recently became one of the most talked-about topics in Chinese social media. What's on Weibo reported that users shared a Chinese-subtitled version of the hit ad for around 14,000 times just hours after it was uploaded.
What's noticeable about the Ocean Skin ad is that it has an essential element of several successful Thai commercials: a plot centered on a specific challenge, with the protagonist endeavoring to overcome it through a series of events that often involve emotional misadventures.
Moreover, Chinese viewers can relate to cultural references shown in Thai commercials. In the case of the Ocean Skin ad, the young woman's quest for beautiful skin resonates well with that of the Chinese, many of which are reputedly conscious of the way they look like.
Since physical appearance matters so much in contemporary Chinese culture, the Ocean Skin ad instantly gained a massive following in Chinese social media, with its classic challenge-centered plot adding further to its viral appeal. Said success is comparable to past hits that have endeared to Chinese netizens.
Examples of older Thai commercials that gained positive reception in China is "Unsung Hero" (2014), which tells the story of a man well-rewarded for his invaluable altruism, and "Failure is Part of Success" (2016), which was a smash hit among Chinese netizens last year.
Watch the hit Ocean Skin ad from YouTube below:
