JD Central launches chatbot to find the perfect Valentine's Day gift

Thailand-based eCommerce brand JD Central has tied up with BBDO Bangkok to launch its campaign "Targeted Gift", which aims to help boyfriends buy the right gifts for their girlfriends on Valentine's Day.

According to a press release, the campaign uses a Facebook algorithm to target consumers and create automated ads to show what girlfriends want for Valentine's Day. Female-targeted ads are used to attract girlfriends to choose their ideal present. The ad then redirects users to a custom-built chatbot that helps create ads specifically for their partners. Boyfriends are then targeted with an ad that allows them to buy the gift on the spot. For it to work, both partners must be registered members of JD Central.

JD Central launched the campaign based on the insight- obtained from market research- that girlfriends are not always clear about what gift they would like for Valentine's Day, and boyfriends end up buying the wrong gift. Rvisra Chirathivat, chief marketing officer of JD Central, said the campaign is its Valentine's gift for its customers, and shows that the company takes online shopping to the next level.

As a result, JD Central reported a 17 percent increase in sales leading up to Valentine's Day in 2019, with online engagement increasing by 314 percent.

Marketing has reached out for additional information.

JD Central was launched in 2018, and is a joint venture between Thai retail conglomerate Central Group, and Chinese retailer JD.com. According to Thailand digital newspaper The Nation, the eCommerce platform guarantees all products sold are authentic,  and uses its integrated logistics service to offer fast delivery, aiming to provide a  "boundless" online shopping experience and be a "leading online e-commerce player".