One Eye On Asia is an interview series presented by Branding in Asia in partnership with the ONE Asia Creative Awards—part of the global nonprofit The One Club for Creativity. The series celebrates the cultural richness of the Asia-Pacific region by highlighting authentic voices, promoting inclusivity, and showcasing local talent on the global stage.
To start things off, we are spotlighting Thailand—a creative force in Asia-Pacific, consistently earning international acclaim and setting the bar for innovation. Thai agencies have mastered crafting stories that resonate far beyond their borders.
What makes Thai advertising stand out is its bold mix of humor, audacity, and cultural flair. Renowned for commercials that blend outrageous comedy with heartfelt emotion, the work is both wildly entertaining and deeply human.
As we explore this vibrant, award-winning landscape, we’ll uncover how Thailand’s unique creative voice continues to shape campaigns that inspire and influence.
Next up, we catch up with Pathida “Jern” Akkarajindanon, Executive Creative Director at Wolf BKK. Jern started her career path as a copywriter in 2010, and over the years has worked for award-winning agencies such as TBWA Thailand, BBDO Bangkok, J. Walter Thompson Shanghai, and The Leo Burnett Group Thailand.
Was there a particular campaign you believe set the tone for Thai advertising in its formative years, and why was it so impactful?
You can’t really talk about a distinct Thai advertising campaign in its formative years without mentioning ‘Sammakorn not Sanpakorn.’ This campaign just hit different. It really nailed what makes Thai ads, well, Thai. The humor is so specific to our culture, that couldn’t easily be replicated elsewhere.
What made it so impactful was how the brand was just straight-up honest about their own issues, but in a way that was genuinely funny. It was a perfect storm of a great creative team, top-notch production, and clients who were brave enough to go for it. That kind of collaborative boldness set a benchmark.
Thai advertising often features bold and humorous creativity. What factors contribute to clients’ willingness to embrace such daring approaches?
Think about Thailand – the “Land of Smiles.” That says a lot about our attitude. Even when things are tough, Thais tend to keep a light spirit and find something to smile about. If you scroll through Thai social media, you’ll see how much people love to create and share funny, original stuff.
So, for brands trying to grab attention, just pushing out ads doesn’t always cut it. Instead, they often try to blend in with the kind of humorous content people are already enjoying. This gives agencies more room to be daring and clients become more open to those kinds of ideas.
Thai ad legend Suthisak Sucharittanonta once described Thailand as being very “zab” (แซ่บ)—vibrant and bold, much like its food. How do you think this reflects the creative energy and approach to advertising in Thailand?
“Zab” is spot on. Just like Thai food hits you with those strong, vibrant flavors, Thai ads often aim for a strong reaction. They want you to feel something, whether it’s laughing your head off or even bringing you to tears.
Just like Thai food hits you with those strong, vibrant flavors, Thai ads often aim for a strong reaction.
Another thing is that Thai ads can hit you harder than you expect, just like you’re well aware that Thai food is known for its spicy, but you didn’t expect it to be crazily spicy, somehow keeps you wanting more.
Similar experience with Thai ads that you might expect some humor, but then it hits you with something even funnier or more moving than you imagined.
How has Thai advertising adapted to changes like the rise of digital media, social media, and evolving consumer preferences over the years?
For me, it feels like Thai advertising isn’t exactly new to the digital world anymore. But the thing is, we’re constantly playing catch-up with how fast digital trends keep changing.
There are just so many different platforms and online channels to connect with people now. And let’s be honest, people are getting really good at tuning out or just being plain annoyed by traditional ads online. So, you can’t really do a ‘one-size-fits-all’ campaign anymore.
We have to create work that can live in lots of different formats, and crucially, it needs to almost disguise itself within the natural digital habits of our target audience.
Instead, we have to create work that can live in lots of different formats, and crucially, it needs to almost disguise itself within the natural digital habits of our target audience. It’s not just about fitting the platform – it’s about tailoring the content so it feels less like an interruption and more like something they’d actually engage with.
So, yeah, campaigns definitely involve a lot more work and detail these days. But on the flip side, this challenge also opens up a much wider space for us to come up with all sorts of different and interesting ideas that can break through the noise.
How are issues like social responsibility, sustainability, and digital culture being reflected in Thai advertising through the influence of younger generations?
Today, we’re in an era where younger generations are so much more aware of and vocal about social issues. This has taken social and environmental responsibility from being a niche concern to a mainstream expectation.
Today, we’re in an era where younger generations are so much more aware of and vocal about social issues.
This shift is pushing brands to move beyond simply selling products or delivering surface-level messages. Instead, there’s a real expectation for them to genuinely demonstrate they care about these values.
Brands that integrate social and environmental responsibility into their products, services, or advertising campaigns are much more likely to resonate positively with this influential demographic, as these values are no longer confined to a small group but are widely embraced.
