Are giant pandas becoming a trend? Analyzing netizens' reactions from social media data.

This year has been hailed as the "Year of the Giant Panda," sparking a panda craze in the Hong Kong market. Not only were the twin pandas "Ying Ying" and "Lok Lok" successfully born at Ocean Park, but the third pair of giant pandas gifted by the central government, "An An" and "Ke Ke," also arrived safely in Hong Kong in September. Capitalizing on this momentum, the government launched a "Panda Economy" campaign in October to boost local tourism and stimulate the economy, culminating in late November with the unveiling of Hong Kong's largest panda exhibition, "PANDA GO! Hong Kong Tour."

The "panda economy" is creating a buzz, but what do the general public really think?

From the volume trend chart, it can be observed that after the announcement of "PANDA GO! Hong Kong Tour" on November 25, discussions about the "panda economy" saw a significant rise on social media. On that day, many netizens and KOLs shared exhibition information, reflecting the public's strong interest in the giant panda exhibition. Furthermore, on December 2, the news of 2,500 panda sculptures arriving in Hong Kong further fueled public enthusiasm, driving the discussion heat to new heights. On December 7, the opening day of the panda sculpture exhibition and the activity featuring "giant panda tour guides" played by real people sparked a large amount of discussion, reaching a peak instantly; subsequently, the volume gradually declined.

Among the many social media platforms, Facebook has become the hub for the most enthusiastic discussions.

Popular topic tags such as #OceanPark, #AnAn, and #Coco mainly focus on the "PANDA GO! Hong Kong Adventure" exhibition event and the twin panda babies.

Overall, netizens' emotional response to the "panda economy" tends to be neutral. Positive sentiments mainly stem from the adorable appearances of the twin panda cubs and the daily updates on their growth, which have attracted significant attention and "likes" from a large number of netizens, with many even referring to themselves as the cubs' "godparents." Additionally, numerous netizens have made special trips to Ocean Park to see "An An" and "Jia Jia." However, some opinions have raised concerns about the cost-effectiveness of keeping six pandas.

However, after the fiscal deficit was announced in early December, it triggered some negative feedback. Some netizens questioned whether the government should invest heavily in organizing large-scale panda events given the poor financial situation; others believed that the production of 2,500 panda sculptures was not environmentally friendly.

From the discussion in the replies, it can be seen that many netizens are also concerned about the results of the giant panda naming competition. Most netizens suggested that the giant panda should retain its original name to align with public familiarity and to avoid causing any adaptation issues for the panda. However, some netizens questioned why a naming competition was held if the original name was ultimately chosen, considering it a waste of public resources.

Overall, the rise of the "panda economy" has undoubtedly brought a new trend to Hong Kong. Whether through exhibition events or lively discussions on social media, it reflects the public's attention and affection for the adorable panda cubs. However, while promoting economic development, financial conditions and environmental issues must also be taken into account to ensure that the "panda craze" brings greater benefits.

(The above data and analysis are generated by the social intelligence platform HK Pulse of Hong Kong uMax Data and GPTCAT Document Assistant, with the statistical period from November 20, 2024, to December 26, 2024, covering Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and forums.)

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