Ad Industry Giant Suthisak Sucharittanonta to Retire After 22 Years at BBDO

by Bobby McGill
· October 9, 2020

After 22 years at BBDO, a giant in the ad industry, Suthisak Sucharittanonta, Creative Chairman of BBDO Bangkok will be retiring.

Suthisak Sucharittanonta, or “Suthi” as most in the industry know him, joined BBDO Bangkok in 1998 as CCO and holds a firm place on a very short list of the most celebrated and awarded creatives in Asia along with being regarded as the pioneer of Thai advertising.

Within 5 years of joining BBDO, Sucharittanonta made history by receiving Thailand’s first Cannes Film Gold Lion award in 2003.

“It was awesome to win a Cannes film gold lion for Thailand. It was for a TV spot titled “Bellybutton Face” for our local client, Giffarine,” he told Branding in Asia in a 2017 interview. “I never thought that a very Thai and hilarious TV spot could win at a global advertising awards show.”

By 2004, Sucharittanonta had successfully led BBDO Bangkok to be ranked 8th in GUNN Reports’ World’s Most Awarded Agency rankings. A testament to his creative contributions to the development and advancement of the Thai advertising industry, Suthi was elected into the Bangkok Art Directors Association Hall of Fame in 2004 and inducted into the Adfest Lotus Legend Hall of Fame in 2017.

Over the past 30 years, he has consistently created and inspired advertising imbued with outstanding and unique creativity. His works have won numerous awards from some of the most internationally acclaimed award shows in the world, including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, One Show Awards, D&AD Awards, Spikes Asia, AdStars, and Adfest, among others.

“My all-time favorite is a campaign for BlackCat whisky I did when I worked at Results Advertising (O&M) in 1997,” told us when asked about his most personally memorable work. “It was a starting point for me to try and reinvent how I approached and executed whatever I did.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN_E3IJDL2k

“There are two things that make very rare people like Suthi great,” said Jean-Paul Burge, Chairman & CEO BBDO Asia.

“The first is that they are true originals, constantly surprising us with their insights, creativity and humanity. This leads to accolades, awards and high praise yet they receive this with great humility. The second is that they leave great teams behind them to build on their legacy. Suthi has done both, taken BBDO to the highest creative standards and built a team that will continue to do so long after they are gone. Needless to say we will miss him immensely, but I am looking forward to seeing the next chapter of this very successful creative office.”

In addition to his local responsibilities and sitting on the BBDO Asia Creative Council, Suthi recently launched ‘The Fighters Project’, an inspiring charity photo exhibition to help raise awareness and funds for people with disabilities. Which is an indication of both the man he is and the energy he possesses. Although he may be leaving advertising, his creativity and passion for great work won’t be ending.