Novel marketing ideas showcased as APAC Effie Awards Roadshow debuts in Bangkok

The 2026 APAC Effie Awards Roadshow made its debut in Bangkok on Thursday, showcasing insights behind award-winning marketing campaigns from Thailand and across the Asia Pacific region.

Hosted by Ogilvy Thailand, the roadshow featured in-depth dissections of campaigns that triumphed at past Asia Pacific Effie Awards.

The APAC Effie Awards honour the region’s most outstanding marketing communications work that demonstrates proven results in meeting strategic objectives. The programme provides a regional platform for the industry and celebrates brands, marketers, and agencies through more than 55 award programmes worldwide, as well as its effectiveness rankings, the Effie Index.

“Now in its 13th year, the APAC Effie Awards continues to support and champion the outstanding achievements of marketers in the Asia Pacific region,” said Bee Hong Chua, Managing Director of APAC Effie Awards.

By providing a platform to share practical learnings and insights from award-winning cases, the APAC Effie Awards aim to inspire and elevate the industry, using the Effie framework to build a culture of effectiveness within organisations, she said.

Supphasit Chokmongkolsatian, Chief Strategy Officer of Ogilvy Thailand, said the roadshow serves as an invaluable platform for the industry to collectively learn from the best, deepen understanding of what drives effectiveness, and elevate marketing standards across the region.

Campaigns showcased included Thailand’s “The Benz Effect” and “Love Your Gut.”

With Mercedes-Benz having been outperformed for years by rivals including BMW, Tesla and Volvo, “The Benz Effect” applied a “cultural marketing” approach by playing on the Thai nickname “Benze” to revive the brand’s image as a luxury car, according to Prasit Kunanuphanchai, Chief Strategy Officer of BBDO Thailand. The campaign won two Bronze awards in 2025.

Meanwhile, “Love Your Gut” aimed to boost Dutchie yogurt sales among younger consumers by promoting self-care awareness among Generation Z, shifting the product from an “occasional indulgence” to a “daily must-have,” said Sasipa Mongolnavin, Managing Partner and Group Strategy Director of Ogilvy Thailand. The campaign won one Gold and three Silver awards in 2023.

Other two overseas campaigns were also presented: “Find Me Here Benches” and “Getting Indians to Pay for Music.”

The APAC Effie Awards seek ideas that are both “creative” and “effective,” capable of meeting real business objectives, Bee Hong Chua said, adding that Thailand ranked fifth among countries with the highest number of entries last year.

Speakers also praised Thailand’s “culture of creativity,” noting that innovation is deeply embedded in the country’s advertising and marketing industry and well understood by clients.

They expressed hope that more Thai campaigns would achieve top rankings or wins at future APAC Effie Awards.

This year’s entry period runs from January to March, with the awards ceremony scheduled for September. New categories have been introduced, including AI and gaming.

The APAC Effie Awards 2026 Roadshow will next travel to Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City. More information is available at www.apaceffie.com