Research Article

How Localized Communication Breaks the Deadlock: BYD's Localization Strategy for Advertising in the Thai Market and Its Insights

Silin Feng*
Guangxi Minzu University

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

The Southeast Asian new energy vehicle market continues to expand, and Thailand's successive electric vehicle support policies have attracted Chinese new energy vehicle companies to accelerate their deployment. However, Thailand's new energy vehicle market has long been dominated by Japanese brands and has formed a unique advertising ecosystem with emotional narratives and positive values at its core, posing a challenge to the cross-cultural communication of overseas brands. This study examines BYD's localization strategy in the Thai market through a case study, combining a literature review of Thai advertising culture characteristics with material analysis of BYD's advertising practices. The research finds that BYD has achieved rapid brand penetration in Thailand through strategies such as localized scenario marketing, online community operations, and offline outdoor media integration. However, the brand's advertising still primarily focuses on product functionality, thereby lacking depth in emotional narrative and alignment with core religious and cultural values. This study extracts BYD's experience and directions for improvement in localization communication, providing practical reference for Chinese new energy brands to shift from product export to brand culture export.

Keywords: Advertising localization strategy; BYD; Brand communication strategy; Cross-cultural communication
Published: October 20, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.HT37922
Volume: CHR Vol.122
pp. 105-110
Download PDF

References

  1. Sun, R. (2019). A comparison of the expression modes of brand advertising in international communication—Taking advertising in China, Japan and Thailand as examples.Journal of Yangzhou Vocational University, 23(2), 18-22.
  2. Zhou, Z., & Zou, W. (2019). A study on the application of emotional appeal strategy in Thai public service advertising.Southeast Communication(6), 132-134.
  3. Li, Y. (2009). Interpreting the ethnic cultural characteristics of Thai advertising.Southeast Asian Studies(2), 93-96.
  4. Guan, C. (2019). A brief analysis of the embodiment of multiculturalism in Thai television advertising.Drama House(6), 78-79+82.
  5. Liu, B., & Shang, Q. (2023). Analysis of the phenomenon of Thai advertising and its cultural communication logic—Taking the advertising sample with "Happy Family" as the theme as an example.Journal of Hainan Normal University (Social Sciences Edition), 36(1), 114-122.
  6. Li, X. (2025). Research on the construction of identity discourse of new energy vehicle enterprises under the background of brand going global—Taking BYD Group as an example.Modern Business and Trade Industry, (13), 80-83.
  7. Wang, D., & Shen, X. (2022). Cross-cultural communication strategies of Thai advertising and its implications for telling the story of Chinese brands.Audiovisual, (9), 50-52.
  8. Yu, Y. (2009). A brief analysis of the localization strategy of Liu Xiang's Coca-Cola advertisement.Modern Business, (27), 280.
  9. Wang, H. (2001). "Global" localization: The mystery of international marketing.International Trade Issues, (8), 31-33+41.
  10. Robertson, R. (1995). Glocalization: Time-space and homogeneity-heterogeneity. In Featherstone, M., Lash, S., Robertson, R.,Global Modernities. Sage, 25-44, London.