dentsu Thailand creates experiential pop-up to tackle phone scams for Whoscall
Step inside a pop-up that trades talismans for truth and folklore for facts: dentsu Thailand’s “The Unlucky Numbers Shop” for Whoscall playfully subverts Thailand’s cherished belief in lucky digits to shine a light on the hidden dangers of phone scams.
In a market where numerology and superstition play a significant role in daily life, Thais have long embraced the promise of fortune that “lucky” digits offer. Yet, no sequence of numbers can protect against the tens of billions of baht lost each year to fraudulent phone calls. With apathy and optimism standing in the way of vigilance, Whoscall needed a bold intervention to spark immediate behaviour change.
With The Unlucky Numbers Shop, dentsu Thailand transformed an everyday retail setting into a provocative display of millions of confirmed scam phone numbers, pulled straight from Whoscall’s extensive database. Curious shoppers wander aisles not lined with lucky charms, but with millions of real scammer phone numbers.
Upon entering the shop, visitors were greeted with immersive installations that brought scam statistics to life:
• Number Walls: Towering panels covered floor to ceiling with real scammer numbers, arranged like prized collectibles.
• Guerrilla station: Turning that stunned moment of truth and inviting people to download the Whoscall app, offering a free 60-day trial of Whoscall Premium to everyone who visited.
Beyond the shop’s doors, Unlucky Number Warning Signs popped up at bold public installations that featured actual scam numbers circulating locally, transforming everyday commutes into moments of discovery.
Monprapa Rattanakanokporn, Country Marketing Lead of Gogolook (Thailand), the advertiser of Whoscall brand, said: “Phone scams in Thailand have become a massive problem that requires a practical approach and we aim for real behaviour change. Dentsu Thailand stood out by localising the strategy through cultural insight. They tapped into a uniquely Thai belief in lucky numbers and turned it into something powerful and relevant, helping us drive awareness and encourage people to take action by downloading Whoscall.”
Pawina Thuamsaeng, Creative Director, Dentsu Creative Thailand, said: “In the tapestry of Thai belief, numbers are woven with threads of hope and fortune. We listened to those whispers of tradition and transformed them into a canvas for change. By casting the familiar glow of lucky digits onto a backdrop of real-world peril, we invited every person to glimpse the unseen dangers beyond superstition. In marrying cultural nuance with bold creativity, we share Whocall’s mission to protect and remind the nation that true luck lies not in chance or myth, but in awareness and choice.”
In a society where digits dictate destiny, this unexpected emporium flips superstition on its head, turning the familiar hunt for fortune into an urgent call to see the unseen threats lurking behind every ring. Through experiential retail, out-of-home advertising, and digital activations, the Unlucky Numbers Shop served one clear message: the real luck lies in being alert and protected.
