Rewat relives the dream
A Johnnie Walker ad asks Thais if they can keep walking through life's obstacles
The beloved and much-missed singer Rewat “Ter” Buddhinan lives again in a walking, talking reincarnation on a new TV commercial for Johnnie Walker. The global “Will You Keep Walking?” ad campaign has focused on Rewat to inspire Thais to share the late Rewat’s steadfastness in pursuit of a dream. Whatever obstacles he encountered on life’s path, he never gave up and never blamed fate or anyone else, and the rewards were immense.
Rewat was a “game changer” in the Thai music industry. One of the co-founders of GMM Grammy, it was he who introduced Thailand to the rock ’n’ roll of string instruments and made it popular. It was Rewat who fostered the success of superstars including Thongchai “Bird” McIntyre, Christina Aguilar and Amita “Tata” Young.
Joseph Kahn, who has worked with Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Muse, U2, Eminem and Maroon 5, directed the whisky commercial in collaboration with award-winning London-based special-effects firm The Mill London.
“It was extremely hard to do,” he says. “We were doing things that felt like taking a blind leap of faith, because they had never been done before. We had to depict a story of someone who is so inspiring and legendary through just computer graphics and other visual effects.
“The more I studied him, the more I understood him and the more I liked him. To see him and see how he talked with such brotherhood and respect for everyone – even though he was a powerful man – was very touching. I want everyone to see this film!”
The Mill team studied the old footage so it could create facial models and perfect the skin texture. A look-alike was filmed performing with sensors tracking his movement and facial expressions, and a complete CG model of the double’s head was created.
To capture Rewat’s vision and pioneering spirit, the team continuously consulted his widow, Aruya, and Nitipong “Dee” Hornak, who worked more closely with him than anyone else.
“To recreate Rewat and make him alive again in the film, I think it’s wonderful,” Aruya says. “I was delighted and honoured to realise that Johnnie Walker wanted to make a story of my husband to encourage people to dare to do what he did successfully, to have the courage to dream and to pursue that dream until you find your success. I want this film to be memorable and valuable, and stay with the coming generations as long as it can.”
Rewat’s determination to make music that was different from anything else heard in Thailand set him apart. “I don’t actually think everyone in Thailand must listen to music the way I do,” he told Image magazine in 1995. “I think I’m just another person who is now offering society a new take on music. That’s what I believe.”
A music lover since childhood, Rewat was playing the saxophone by age 11. In the 11th grade at St Gabriel College, he and friends formed a band called Dark Eyes. Studying economics at Thammasat University, he and classmates Danu Hantrakul and JirapanAngsawanon formed the band Yellow Red, named after the school colours.
After graduation Rewat was invited to join the Impossibles, eventually becoming lead singer and keyboardist. When they broke up, he started Oriental Funk with Winai Panthurak.
And then in 1983, Rewat and Paiboon Damrongchaitham founded Grammy Entertainment Ltd. Rewat blended his knowledge of economics and personal experience in music to become a popular singer-songwriter and a busy producer. He was a tremendously successful businessman whose influence continues to be felt on the Thai music scene.
