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LOTUS :
LOTUS ROOTS
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CATEGORY :
ENTERTAINMENT LOTUS
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COMPANY ENTERING :
OGILVY GROUP THAILAND, BANGKOK
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TITLE :
AMAZING THAILAND. CULTURE TO COMMERCE
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BRAND :
TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND
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ADVERTISER :
TOURISM AUTHORITY OF THAILAND
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AGENCY :
OGILVY GROUP THAILAND, BANGKOK
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CHAIRMAN :
NOPADOL SRIKIEATIKAJOHN
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER :
JIRAVARA VIRAYAVARDHANA
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EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR :
ANDREW CHU
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR :
PURIPONG LIMWANATIPONG/THANAWAT CHONGMAHAKUL
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ART DIRECTOR :
NOPADOL SRIKIEATIKAJOHN/PURIPONG LIMWANATIPONG/
PANNAWEE SAIBUA
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COPYWRITER :
PONGSAKON JUNRUENG/ANDREW CHU/VISAYA SOSOTHIKUL
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AGENCY PRODUCER :
SAKONPOB SINSUK
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DIGITAL DIRECTOR :
SUPARRERK KULINTARAPRASERT
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DIGITAL MANAGER :
NOPRADA JIRARATTANAPAN
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CLIENT SERVICE DIRECTOR :
NIWAT RUNGRUANGWORAWAT
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ACCOUNT DIRECTOR :
ONSIRI THANIBUTRA
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ACCOUNT MANAGER :
SAKON SUKSOPHON
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STRATEGIC PLANNING DIRECTOR :
SASIPA MONGOLNAVIN
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STRATEGIC PLANNER :
JIRAT TANGVICHACHARN
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SPECIAL EFFECTS COMPANY :
YGGDRAZIL GROUP, BANGKOK
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CG DIRECTOR :
SAROOT TUBLOY
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CG SUPERVISOR :
WAROON PUMISIRICHAROEN/KITTICHON KITTIWAN/JIRANUWAT MEKSUTAT
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PRODUCER :
JITPISUT SIRIRAT
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HEAD OF GAME DEVELOPMENT :
NATTAWORN TANCHAROEN
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PROJECT MANAGER :
PANADDA RITTRIRAT/AUNCHAYA THANAPORNKAITIKUL
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CULTURAL CONTEXT EXPLANATION :
“Amazing Thailand. Culture to Commerce” is a gaming experience that turned Thailand’s Deep Culture into a destination where pop culture meets commerce. Plummeted number of visitors to Thailand due to the pandemic’s impact resulted in the loss of significant sources of income that most cultural tourism spots such as temples, affiliated small businesses and local communities depended upon. The Tourism Authority of Thailand takes responsibility for preserving some of Thailand's core cultural assets and traditions which are essential to its uniqueness and appeal, but were under threat due to ongoing drops in tourist arrivals by tapping on a growing global superstitious phenomenon among young generation worldwide with highest-ever anxiety and seek comfort through spiritual objects and contents. This is not just about using the 'metaverse' as a communication channel - but actually about exploring and pioneering the next-generation, and new competitive battlefield, of tourism post-Covid – of virtual tourism meeting sustainable tourism as something as exciting and meaningful. It has become the new craze among gamers worldwide, the hope of all the temples and affiliated small businesses was revived by a new form of sustainable virtual tourism.
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CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :
How a gaming experience turned Thailand’s Deep Culture into a destination where pop culture meets commerce. Tourism Authority of Thailand partnered with YGG to introduce ‘Home Sweet Home - Survive Obt2’, a multiplayer game that builds on the success of its previous version by taking the gaming experience to the next level and turning it into a gateway that interconnects the virtual world, the spiritual world and the real world for the first time. This is not just about using the 'metaverse' as a communication channel - but actually about exploring and pioneering the next-generation, and new competitive battlefield, of tourism post-Covid – of virtual tourism meeting sustainable tourism as something as exciting and meaningful. It has become the new craze among gamers worldwide, the hope of all the temples and affiliated small businesses was revived by a new form of sustainable virtual tourism.
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THE BRIEF :
Thailand is world-renowned for its temples and spiritual sanctuaries, the living home of deep culture for centuries which their sales contribute over 20 billion Baht annually. Plummeted number of visitors to Thailand due to the pandemic’s impact resulted in the loss of significant sources of income that most temples, affiliated small businesses and local communities depended upon. The Tourism Authority of Thailand takes responsibility for preserving some of Thailand's core cultural assets and traditions which are essential to its uniqueness and appeal, but were under threat due to ongoing drops in tourist arrivals.
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THE STRATEGY :
Our target is “Superstitious Technophiles”: the gen Z and millennial gamers who aspire to travel and seek out the original travel experiences they’ve been missing due to COVID-19 restrictions. With the investigation of their social media posts who previously visited Thailand, we made an unsuspected discovery: alongside the standard destinations, these young travellers also checked in at the destinations such as ‘Erawan Shrine’, ‘Jade Buddha Temple’, ‘The Erawan Museum’ and monk chats with the content of praying for good luck to happen – all high places of Thailand’s deep and living superstitious and paranormal culture. Moreover, there is a growing global superstitious phenomenon that has turned into the pop culture- as COVID-19 drove millennials to highest-ever anxiety with almost 50% said they were stressed all or most of the time, they have increasingly turned to products and contents related to superstition through digital platforms such as amulets, crystals and lucky ringtones.
What if the popularity of HSH2 game could be leveraged? By tapping into the millions of players and combining with the global craze that spiritual artifacts have gained over the past years, we could turn gamers into virtual visitors in a place where pop-culture meets commerce.
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THE EXECUTION :
TAT partnered with YGG to introduce ‘Home Sweet Home-Survive OBT2’, a multiplayer game that builds on the success of its previous version by taking the gaming experience to the next level and turning it into a gateway that interconnects virtual world, spiritual world, and real world for the first time.
In addition to a new journey of discovery into Thailand’s deep culture, where gamers immerse themselves in beliefs and explore the numerous sacred temples and sanctuaries inside-out, it engaged players on a deeper level by giving them the chance to virtually take part in ancient rituals, interact with the objects and use supernatural powers from the various hidden amulets they would uncover during the gameplay, to help them stay protected and fight against the evil forces.
Moreover, as gamers learnt about the superpowers of amulets, occult rituals and spiritual activities, they were offered a chance to get their hands on their favorite amulets and other items through a link, where they could purchase and get their items delivered, or even book certain activities they wished to experience in real life.
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THE RESULT :
As a result of ‘Home Sweet Home – Survive Obt2’ becoming the new craze among gamers worldwide, the hope of all the temples and affiliated small businesses was revived by a new form of sustainable virtual tourism.
• 368 million YouTube, Twitch and Bilibili views
• 270 million media impressions
• 142 million earned media value and rising
• 246% increase in time spent on TAT’s website
• Traffic to TAT’s website up 50x
• On average players spend 15 minutes on a journey to deep culture in game
• +300% site visitors converted into shoppers
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