The viral hit “I Hate Thailand” took home a Gold Award for Marketing in the Social Media Category, while a second PATA Gold Award went to the “Discover Thainess” campaign in the Promotional Travel Video category.
BANGKOK – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is proud to announce that two of its campaign commercials have won awards at the recent Pacific Asia Travel Association’s annual PATA Gold Awards. The viral hit “I Hate Thailand” took home a Gold Award for Marketing in the Social Media Category, while a second PATA Gold Award went to the “Discover Thainess” campaign in the Promotional Travel Video category.
Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT Acting Governor and Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas) said, “We’re pleased that these commercials were so successful at the PATA Gold Awards, as they showcase all that is wonderful about Thailand’s culture – the wonderful friendliness of the Thai people that keeps visitors coming back year after year and the huge range of unforgettable experiences our guests have when they enjoy the destinations and culture that make Thailand unique.”
The ‘I hate Thailand’ video tells the tale of an independent traveller’s experiences of the kingdom after losing his belongings, in which frustration is replaced by love for the nation thanks to the friendly help of the local people. The five-minute film, released onto YouTube on 18 November, 2014, became a viral sensation thanks to shares on social media and has been viewed nearly three million times.
The PATA Gold Award is another testament to the success of the ‘I Hate Thailand” video. In March 2015, the campaign won the Lotus Award for Branded Content and Entertainment in the Asia-Pacific region’s top annual advertising festival, AdFest as well as one Silver and two Bronze Awards. The ad also picked up awards at the 8th International Tourism Film Festival 2015 in Riga, Latvia as well as other international accolades.
Meanwhile, the “Discover Thainess” viral campaign, which took top prize in the Promotional Travel Video category, was admired for the way it showcased the kingdom’s unique Thai experiences; such as, culture, music food, and dance. The video is part of TAT’s 2015 Discover Thainess tourism campaign, which promotes Thai destinations and experiences including the Thai way of life, Thai culture and activities; such as, Thai boxing, Thai massage, Thai cooking, and Thai classical dance.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) promotes responsible development of the Asia- Pacific travel and tourism industry, and the PATA Gold Awards were established with the aim of recognising exceptional achievement in a range of media to promote the travel industry in the Asia-Pacific region. The Awards are presented to outstanding entries in four main categories: Marketing; Education and Training; Environment, and Heritage and Culture.
This year, there were 269 entries from 83 travel and tourism organisations and individuals. Other Thai winners this year included Siam Niramit’s “Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam”, which won the Gold Prize for Heritage and Culture.
The Awards presentation will take place at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) on 8 September, 2015, during the PATA Travel Mart 2015.
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