<![CDATA[The explosive growth of Threads as a text-based social media platform has fundamentally altered the nature of electronic word of mouth (eWOM). This study looks at the communication network and the narratives that underpin the viral success of Roti Merak, a local bakery in Bandung. A sequential mixed methods approach was used, combining quantitative Social Network Analysis (SNA) via Gephi with a qualitative content analysis of 553 verified public posts and replies gathered from April to July 2026. Posts and replies were selected on the basis of network clusters and narrative relevance to ensure we had a representative sample for the qualitative phase. The network is highly fragmented and decentralised with a network density of 0.002 and a modularity index of 0.914. Virality is driven overwhelmingly by accidental peer leaders and local conversation clusters rather than by macro influencers. The network breaks down into three main groups: local residents talking about the traffic disruption, the debate around the use of artificial scarcity as a marketing tactic and the transactional interactions which are enabled by the use of personal shoppers (jastip). The study makes a contribution to the literature on decentralised eWOM cascades in the post microblogging age and offers practical advice for local brand managers on managing community sentiment and reputational risk.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
