#BKKCafeHopping started out as just a hashtag to document one person’s passion for trying new coffee. It has since grown from a community lookbook to a powerful tool that is changing the way businesses grow and leading the way on the journey for coffee shop excellence.
Before Instagram was a daily use platform for social engagement and marketing, there were guidebooks with listings for destination points that would lead tourists on journeys through Thailand, often without giving them a teaser photo to get them started.
There were also a host of popular travel magazines that still printed guides to travelling throughout the Kingdom. However, print materials are not as popular as they once were, nor are they as quickly accessible as the Internet. So, the methods by which people are discovering new places have also changed.
Enter: #BKKCafeHopping.
#BKKCafeHopping is a hashtag on Instagram with over 120,000 posts exhibiting beautiful cafes all over Thailand. For food and beverage lovers, this is one of the fastest modern ways to take on a journey through the country’s current coffee culture without leaving the comfort of home.
Posts including the #BKKCafeHopping hashtag are more than just sporadic photos of food and coffee. This and other trends like it contribute to the growth of the coffee culture in Thailand unlike anything seen in the past in this industry. Coffee shops are becoming more than just a place to have Java and a light meal – they’re becoming art spaces.
A quick search through the posts with the #BKKCafeHopping hashtag immerses users in a visual walkthrough of unique mixed-used spaces that have been repurposed and thoughtfully designed into multipurpose coffee shops, restaurants, workspaces, and places to hang out. The rise of Instagram as a marketing tool in Thailand has also affected how businesses mature. It has become central to their start-up marketing strategies and how they plan their spaces.
Two current design focuses on #BKKCafeHopping that are pioneering contemporary design in these spaces in Thailand are plants and creative eats.
Plants, both indoor and outdoor varieties, have always been a part of Thai culture at home. In recent times, indoor plants have become a popular design trend in Thailand, as well. Nowadays, it is common to see minimalism in structure and colour being offset by striking large plants; such as, the popular monstera deliciosa.
The popularity of plant design on #BKKCafeHopping has created a competitive and creative market, making way for entrepreneurs to think outside the box and innovate when designing their spaces.
Consequently, many cafes have award-winning plant designs incorporated throughout their property. Countless of them stay busy enough to have queues for visitors to walk through and have coffee while taking photos to add to the #BKKCafeHopping trend.
As the design envelope is being pushed, the cuisine-related creativity of cafe owners is also being challenged as food menus are testing new ways to engage with the massive online creator community. As such, new delectable creations pop up regularly; such as, savoury donuts and the currently popular craffle (croissant + waffle). More often than not, these creations are delicious but are also crafted with a design-first approach, keeping in mind that these are edible marketing materials.
#BKKCafeHopping is leading the way to new places
#BKKCafeHopping is a virtual experience, which has propelled it forward during the New Normal. Although the community has been steadily growing for a couple of years now, it has expanded rapidly over the past two years and shows no signs of slowing down.
The benefits of its growth are twofold: it can be your very own (free) virtual tour guide giving you the inspiration to go and try new places that you might not have known about otherwise. Additionally, it is a handy resource for entrepreneurs looking for interior design and marketing inspiration.
#BKKCafeHopping is unique because it isn’t an account or any single business. It is a community of accounts and businesses supporting each other to drive business by local engagement, while also building a space for inspiration in niche coffee spaces.
Follow the hashtag and participate here: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/bkkcafehopping/ (TAT)
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