Thai TV drama firm seeks global soft power
Be On Cloud captured regional hearts with Y Series content. Now it aims to promote local products on screens abroad, writes Phusadee Arunmas
Be On Cloud, a company known for producing popular Boys Love or Y Series TV dramas, aims to promote Thailand’s soft power and local products on the global stage through its series. Recent productions include KinnPorsche The Series (2022), Dead Friend Forever (2023), Man Suang (2023), 4 Minutes (2024), and a new series project titled Shine.
The company also has a business related to managing artists, including on its roster famous artists such as Phakphum Romsaithong (Mile) and Nattawin Wattanagitiphat (Apo), co-stars of the breakout TV drama KinnPorsche The Series. Other artists include Bible, Jes, Tong, Barcode, Nodt, Job and 2J.
“KinnPorsche The Series was the first Thai series to become popular globally as the production house partnered with iQiyi, China’s leading on-demand video streaming service,” said Krisda Witthayakhajorndet, founder and chief executive of Be On Cloud.
“As a result, both Apo and Mile became brand ambassadors for international brands such as Christian Dior, Piaget, Guerlain, Bulgari, Fendi, McLaren, Skechers and Omega, as well as local brands Srichand and Giffarine.”
He was previously a concert and event organiser for more than a decade, with corporate customers under the company named Be Absolute.
GETTING TO KNOWYOU
The Y Series business started as Mr Krisda got to know Mile, who was involved in a deal with a production company that was in a liquidity crunch during the pandemic.
Mr Krisda decided to buy the production company and invest in the project, which resulted in a revamped version of KinnPorsche.
He said the series captured a global audience thanks to the production quality and creative content, as well as collaboration with Chinese streaming giant iQiyi, resulting in popularity and revenue for the company.
Be On Cloud relied on the business practices of foreign world-class production companies as well as Mr Krisda’s experience in show business, he said.
More than 20,000 tickets sold out within 10 minutes for a concert featuring the series’ stars at Impact Muang Thong Thani following the series launch.
“This shows we have loyal fans with strong purchasing power and genuine interest in the Y Series genre,” Mr Krisda said.
He said the success in producing drama series stems from a similarity to concert and event promotion.
We believe competition drives us to create even more quality work, with natural selection determining the survivor in this sector. KRISDA WITTHAYAKHAJORNDET CHIEF EXECUTIVE, BE ON CLOUD
NO REGRETS
“If we put the KinnPorsche project on hold, we would have regretted it as the series made millions of fans happy,” said Mr Krisda.
“These series create an opportunity for foreigners to get to know Thailand, including the culture, food and way of life. We hope this sparks interest among viewers to come visit the country, resulting in increased tourism revenue.”
Be On Cloud is collaborating with the Commerce Ministry to select community products to be included in the Shine series, which is expected to increase the market demand for Thai products and services.
Thai products still lack effective marketing channels compared with world-class brands, according to the ministry.
The company is committed to increasing the market value of both its Y Series dramas and products and services presented on screens, he said.
The total market value for Y Series content is roughly 2-3 billion baht per year, with higher revenue growth expected this year amid fierce competition, said Mr Krisda.
EARLY MOVER
Thailand is benefiting from being the first player in this market, with unparalleled know-how and global recognition, he said.
Over the past two years, Be On Cloud built on a solid foundation because of its strong fan club. The target audience is mostly young females age 18-30 who are willing to pay for many activities to show support for Y Series celebrities, said Mr Krisda.
The company’s first-year sales were around 300 million baht, with profit of roughly 100 million baht.
The second year was a period of investment and business adjustment, and he said it was not profitable.
This year both revenue and performance are expected to improve because of an increasing number of fan clubs, platforms and sponsors, Mr Krisda said.
“We believe competition drives us to create even more quality work, with natural selection determining the survivor in this sector. We focus on producing Y Series that are fun and captivate the hearts of fans,” he said.
“Our strength is having the flexibility to work with every artist and on every platform. Our artists have exceptional levels of professionalism and high standards, yet are still humble.”
Be On Cloud is ready to partner with film and series producers as well as other entertainment companies with a similar vision and ethos, said Mr Krisda, aiming to become the leader in the sector through resilience and sustainable growth.