by Rome Jorge
MANILA – “For about a decade five years ago, Thai advertising made everyone laugh. It was always after the funny reaction. And then about three years ago. Every Thai ad makes me want to cry. What’s happened in Thailand, the land of smiles, is now a land of tears?” ask advertisers and audiences across the globe.
The heart-wrenching 2-minute video advertisement for Tesco Lotus celebrating First Mother Queen Sirikit birthday by Leo Burnett Group Thailand entitled “Taxi”—which revealed the hardships and dangers a mother faces as a taxi driver faces in Thailand, from getting mugged and beaten at knifepoint to adopting an androgynous persona to garner the job—has had over 1,035,837 views worldwide since it’s released on July 5, 2015.
The tearjerking 10-minute video advertisement for BarBQ Plaza by nudeJEH (since acquired by Grey Advertising Thailand) entitled “The Waiters’ Mom”—which focused on the staff of the restaurant who were too busy serving other families on Mother’s Day to spend time with their own mothers—has had over 4,565,829 views worldwide since it’s released on August 6, 2015.
The tragic 10-minute video advertisement for Brother Industries Thailand by the Sunshiner Co.,Ltd. entitled “My Brother”—which revealed an elderly man suffering Parkinson’s Disease from enduring too many blows during kickboxing matches in his youth to earn his sister’s school tuition—has had over 1,241,549 views worldwide since it’s release on Nov 16, 2014.
At the adobo Tambuli Asia-Pacific Conference on May 31, 2016, at the Fairmont Hotel, Makati City, Philippines, Sompat Trisadikun, Chief Creative Officer of The Leo Burnett Group Thailand, showed these videos and delivered his insights on how to connect with Thai consumers with his talk entitled “The Thai Family Way.”
“In the past three or four years, we have been going through tough times. I think people need someone to touch their heart,” explains Trisadikun.
He notes, “Most of you know that Thai people are really emotional. Thai people always think of their family first. We always think of our family first before ourselves. Thais are used to living together as a big family. So Thai families are close and many generations live in the same house.””
He goes on to highlight how Buddhist theology shapes the outlook on life of Thai consumers and why the advertisements that appeal to them confront real-life adversities and heartaches: “Most Thai people believe either good or bad happen because of some reason so we have to accept what happened to our life and make the best that we can. We all dream to have a better life and a better life for everyone too. We believe what we have done in the past will affect our life in the future or even our next life.”
Sompat Trisadikun declares, “We equate the Thai family with a meaningful brand. Any brand that wants to be loved by Thais must learn the way to talk to Thai people.”
