Marketing Models and Digital Marketing Communication Guidelines for Business of Rice Noodles in Fish Curry Sauce, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

This article aimed to 1) study marketing models for the business of rice noodles in fish curry sauce, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and 2) propose digital marketing communication guidelines for the business of rice noodles in fish curry sauce, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The research design was mixed methods—both qualitative and quantitative methods—with the concepts of consumer behavior and digital marketing communication as a research framework. The sample consisted of 11 rice noodles from fish curry sauce restaurants. They were selected by purposive selection covered by the geography of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province (Khao-Pa-Na-Le). The instruments for collecting data were interviews, observation of consumer behavior, digital communication, and a questionnaire. The research team analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The research results were found as follows:

1. The marketing models of rice noodles in fish curry sauce restaurants in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province consisted of rice noodles in fish curry sauce restaurants being tied to tourism; rice noodles in fish curry sauce restaurants were at tourist attractions; rice noodles in fish curry sauce restaurants were centers of selling local products, and the restaurants sold to locals and regular consumers; and 2. The development of digital marketing communication of rice noodles in fish curry sauce restaurants in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province found that the elements of rice noodles in fish curry sauce should be communicated: rice noodles, fish curry sauce, including local vegetables. Rice noodles in fish curry sauce from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province had different elements from other regions or provinces, especially the local vegetable issue. However, there were quite a few presentations about vegetables; local vegetables in each restaurant had different highlights, such as focusing on using local vegetables grown by themselves, types of vegetables related to each area, etc.

It was found that rice noodles in fish curry sauce restaurants in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province focus on digital marketing communication using Facebook Fanpages, where the content often communicates about the taste of rice noodles in fish curry sauce, both texture and taste. Another important component is missed. It is the vegetable that is eaten together with rice noodles in fish curry sauce. The identity of rice noodles in fish curry sauce in Nakhon Si Thammarat province is different from other regions. Therefore, it should be communicated to create more distinctive features of rice noodles in fish curry sauce.