Inside the jury room: TBWA\ Group Thailand’s Phannika Vongsayan reflects on the region’s best award winners from One Asia 2025
After spending three days immersed in the best work Asia has to offer, TBWA\ Group Thailand’s Group CEO Phannika ‘Prayer’ Vongsayan returns from the One Asia Creative Awards with renewed admiration for the region’s creativity. Here, Prayer reflects on the campaigns that rose to the top.
My thoughts on the judging experience: It was a wonderful judging experience for me. The standard and expectations for the work were high, as they should be, but the process came from a place of wanting to truly understand the cultural nuances and insights of each country, so we could do proper justice to every campaign. I wasn’t only judging based on my professional expertise, but also learning and exchanging cultural perspectives with the other judges. The experience was intense, but very wholesome and fulfilling.
What it was like to be in Korea: I was impressed by how much you can experience in such a short time, from modern, high-tech environments with top-tier service and a truly international feel, to a restaurant on a hillside in Itaewon where each level had a completely different mood, vibe, and crowd. And then suddenly you find yourself in a small, family-run place that has been around for four generations, enjoying fantastic food and communicating with the owner through gestures and smiles.
What stood out most to me was the sense of determination in the air, the feeling that everyone is giving their best in what they do. From the hybrid retail, art installations, and experiential design at Haus Nowhere to the everyday culture of “bunsik-jip” street food and the local ways of life, the coexistence of so many different expressions of creativity was truly inspiring. The range of contrasts, and how naturally they come together, left a deep impression on me. It is an experience I will truly treasure and bring home with me.
My top campaigns from the judging included: The Pantene PetPit campaign stood out the most and sparked the liveliest discussion in our judging room. There are three interesting aspects worth mentioning about this campaign. First, it was designed to communicate directly with Gen Z in China. Instead of trying to invent something entirely new that might not stick, the brand cleverly followed the existing hype, “Pet the Mango Pit,” and integrated the product benefits in a way that naturally spread among the audience. Second, a major international brand broke away from the traditional codes of haircare advertising. There were no typical hair shots, no standard admiration payoff, and in the end, the product wasn’t even shown on human hair. Finally, I truly admire the boldness and playfulness of both the client and agency for approving such an unconventional campaign.
The Vaseline Verified campaign stood out in our judging room. It cleverly tapped into real consumer curiosity, bringing user-generated hacks into the lab for scientific testing, which validated the hacks and reinforced Vaseline’s credibility. At the same time, it built a community of fans while staying true to the brand’s versatile and trustworthy heritage. The idea is simple and powerful, making the brand feel modern and highly relevant to social media first audiences. I admire the daring of the client and agency for leaning into this concept and letting the product story shine. When an idea is this strong and impactful, it can challenge judges to stay focused on the submitted category, ensuring we assess it fairly without being overwhelmed by its impact. It is a dream for any brand to be part of the conversation at this scale.
Toxic Backfire: The Cost of Bullying for Samsung stood out for me because it cleverly tackled a real cultural issue by linking an existing game’s abusive language detection system so that every time bullying was flagged, the bully had to pay more. This approach was bold, in your face, and highly effective at shifting gamer behavior. At the same time, it delivered a simple and powerful idea: “When gamers bully, they pay the price.” The concept was clear and insightfully executed. With tangible results, including a significant decrease in in‑game bullying incidents, this campaign reminded me that advertising can do more than sell. It can create a positive impact on society while reaffirming brand values of innovation, responsibility, and cultural relevance.
Night Fishing: In a world where ads often feel like interruptions, this campaign transforms content into an invitation for consumers to engage. It showcases the product’s features through a beautifully crafted film, moving beyond advertising into entertainment and experience, while perfectly aligning with the brand’s innovation-driven strategy. The consumer journey is thoughtfully designed, and the campaign was frequently discussed across many category submissions because it is so carefully crafted at every stage, making it highly relevant and effective for multiple communication purposes.
