Beginning this week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is launching a campaign that aims to introduce the Thai New Year festival of Songkran to BBC audiences across the globe. Songkran has recently been nominated for UNESCO ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ status and will be celebrated ‘more extravagantly than ever’ throughout Thailand in April this year.
A unique 30-second animated advertisement, produced by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions in Singapore, will run from 10 April to 15 June 2024.
Creatively, it focuses on the wider social and cultural significance of Songkran. The creative features a bespoke animated character as the central storyteller – an international traveller who appeals to both the young and the young at heart. Viewers will follow his journey through Thailand as he is immersed in a variety of distinctly Thai experiences.
The rich visuals in the colourful clip also showcase Thai culture, people, food, nature, sights and scenery.
The advertising campaign will run on the newly launched BBC app and BBC.com site as well as on the BBC News channel.
John Williams, Vice President, Advertising Sales, Singapore & SEA, BBC Studios Global Media & Streaming, said “BBC News’ TV and digital platforms are well-placed for reaching and engaging with travel-interested audiences, as BBC News is the number 1 news title to reach global travellers, as well as Thailand-bound travellers. This fun, innovative animation is also a great way to bring returning travellers to Thailand as it shows an abundant number of reasons they would want to visit again. The joyful tone and shareability have a youthful appeal that will sit well in the newly designed online spaces the BBC is bringing its audiences.”
Mr. Nithee Seeprae, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications, said “We are delighted to be working with the BBC again on this exciting campaign. Reaching their extensive and important international audiences and utilising their expertise is vital for us in promoting Thailand to visitors. We believe that at Songkran ‘memories last forever’ and it will be repeatedly told. This well-crafted campaign illustrates that perfectly for those not yet aware of the festival or with a limited knowledge of it.”
Notes to editors
Link to watch the full animation (which will be available from Wednesday, 10 April 2024): https://youtu.be/erWC2pOC24w?si=eLCcTrm4rsxjG7Zu
Please credit BBC Storyworks for any use.
BBC Storyworks is the award-winning content studio from BBC Studios.
Building on the BBC’s century-long pedigree as the world’s most trusted storytellers, they work with brands to create beautifully crafted stories that move and inspire curious minds, across platforms and across the globe. With teams around the world, they work directly with brands, with agencies, and with associations and industry bodies to tell their stories to the BBC’s huge and influential global audience, on BBC.com, BBC News (TV), and across social channels.
BBC audience insights:
-74% of the BBC News audience has started planning vacation abroad in the next 12 months, 27% more likely than the average audience. Reasons for international vacation among the BBC audience who intend to travel to Thailand – 70% want to do so to experience a new place/culture*.
-BBC News audience are 43% more likely to spend high amount on international vacation, more than they usually spend.
-BBC News audience are 53% more likely to consider vacations extremely important.
-BBC News is the #1 news/factual media title to reach global travellers as well as among Thailand-bound travellers*.
Source: GWI Travel, Q3’23, Global ex. UK; *GWI Travel, Q3’23, travel intenders to Thailand, Global ex. UK (TAT)
