Analyzing The Impact Of Awards Ceremonies Through Social Listening

From 2018 to 2021, the BSI Top10 Events ranking for January typically recorded the presence of 1-2 award ceremonies. However, in 2022 and 2023, award ceremonies completely disappeared from the BSI Top10 Events rankings. By January 2024, the BSI Top10 Events ranking noted: For the first time, 6 out of the top 10 most influential events on social media were award ceremonies. Alongside familiar programs such as the WeChoice Awards, Green Wave Awards, and Golden Apricot Blossom Awards, there were three events making their debut appearances: Face Of The Year Awards 2023, the Star of the Year 2023 Awards Ceremony, and the 28th Asian Television Awards Gala.

According to Buzzmetrics data, Golden Apricot Blossom Awards appeared in the BSI Top10 ranking two years ago. As for the Green Wave Awards, it was absent from the rankings four years ago before returning to the list. WeChoice Awards had consistently made appearances and achieved high rankings in the BSI Top10 Events before pausing for two years due to the pandemic. In this comeback, all three events have generated significant buzz on social media: WeChoice Awards 2023 with nearly 300,000 discussions, the Green Wave with 100,000 discussions, and Golden Apricot Blossom with almost 15,000 discussions. The other three award ceremonies also generated over 10,000 discussions each. Notably, the Audience Score and Diversity Score of all six award ceremonies are quite high (above 0.8). These metrics indicate that the events are being genuinely engaged with by users and have good diversity in discussions (See detailed data in the BSI Top10 Events ranking for January 2024).

So what contributed to the success of these award ceremonies? According to Buzzmetrics' observations, this is not a random phenomenon but reflects underlying factors that mirror the discourse on social media. In this article, Buzzmetrics will analyze the factors contributing to the success of the award ceremonies in January 2024.

1. The presence of the Gen-Z factor

The WeChoice Awards 2023 and Green Wave Awards 2023 - two award ceremonies with the highest BSI score - have garnered notable recognition with Gen-Z faces. At Green Wave Awards, Phuong My Chi emerged as the Outstanding New Face, while Wren Evans was honored in both the Breakthrough Artist and Album of the Year categories. At the WeChoice Awards, MCK stood out by winning in multiple entertainment categories and making it into the Top 10 Inspirational Figures, alongside other Gen-Z  such as HIEUTHUHAI and the communication team of the Hoa Lo Prison relic site.  Additionally, the WeChoice Awards dedicated a whole group of categories to Gen-Z, such as Z-Slang - Phrase of the Year and Z-Face - Prominent Gen-Z Figure. These elements play a crucial role in attracting the attention of Gen-Z - a demographic that boasts a strong presence on social media.

Phuong My Chi, HIEUTHUHAI, Mono, and Double 2T - prominent Gen-Z figures at various award ceremonies - have also appeared in the BSI Top 10 Influencers ranking. Additionally, the participation of Tran Thanh and Den Vau has helped increase discussions around certain award ceremonies. A common characteristic of these two artists is their long-standing careers coupled with a strong presence on social media and a significant Gen-Z fanbase.

2. The strong connection between online activities and offline events

This year's award ceremonies have all been meticulously invested in various aspects of media, thereby creating influence on social media.

Media Channels: Most award ceremonies primarily utilize two main media channels: (1) websites - where important information and the spirit of the event are provided, and (2) Facebook fanpage - where news updates are posted, creating a bridge between users and the event.

Media timeline: The official award ceremonies typically take place from mid to late January. Media activities for the events usually begin 1-2 months prior and extend for a week after the conclusion of the award ceremonies.

Frequency and Diversity of Information: At peak times, there are about 2-3 posts per day, covering various content perspectives: celebrity statements, program message analysis, award announcements, and memorable moments of the event. This strategy meets the informational needs of users and helps maintain the event's presence.

3. The interesting moments become the material for communication

At every event, beyond the award-giving activities, there are viral moments that differentiate one event from another. Notable instances include:

• At the  Golden Apricot Blossom Awards ceremony, when honored in the Community Artist category, Den Vau stated: "Thanks to the community, I now have a name." His statement quickly resonated with the online community and was quoted and analyzed by various media outlets. Additionally, the unexpected appearance of TikToker Pham Thoai on the red carpet also caught users' attention.

•  At the Star of the Year 2023 Gala, the performance of "Chi nga em nang" by the beautiful celebrities from the "Chi dep dap gio re song" program delighted the online community. Prior to this, the "Chi dep dap gio re song" program had made waves on social media by rejuvenating the image of long-standing famous celebrities.

• The 28th Asian Television Awards Gala marked the prestigious ceremonies first-ever hosting in Vietnam. The mere phrase "first-ever hosting in Vietnam" captured significant public interest. Another distinguishing factor of the event was the convergence of the most prominent Asian celebrities.

• "Mashup" was the highlight keyword of the Green Wave Awards 2023. Both established and new faces collaborated to perform popular hit songs, creating surprise for the audience. Even after the event concluded, users continued to revisit and discuss the standout mashup performances of the program.

• The WeChoice Awards 2023 brought forth a range of different emotions within the online community: from the jubilation of the community towards unsung heroes, to the regret over the "2 Days & 1 Night Vietnam" program, to the controversies surrounding MCK's speech.

• The discussions surrounding the Face Of The Year 2023 stemmed from the red carpet activities, particularly the presence of many famous actors, notably the moments featuring director Duc Thinh and his wife Thanh Thuy. Moreover, the achievements of close colleagues Tran Thanh and Truong Giang at the awards ceremony also garnered significant attention from the audience.

4. The appropriate timing for the theme: Year-end Recap

As a year draws to a close, users tend to reflect on what has transpired throughout the year. In other words, "year-end recap" naturally becomes a focal point at the end of the year. This can be evidenced by Social Listening data: Buzzmetrics statistics show that the volume of discussions containing keyword groups related to year-end recap significantly increases from December.

In terms of Occasion-Based Marketing language, award ceremonies essentially serve as "recaps of a year in fields closely associated with the public," tapping into the most significant user concerns at a particular time.

CONCLUSION:

In the context of social media development, the communication of award ceremonies has leveraged current affairs and social media platforms to open doors to connect with users, garnering their interest, anticipation, and excitement before, during, and after the event. In other words, merely tapping into the right interest isn't enough to create an impactful award ceremony on social media. It must be a harmonization of various factors, including the organizers' efforts in the digital transformation process.