Storytelling in Digital Advertising of Thai Ads

I remember during college days, our lecturer was teaching us about brand storytelling and how it eventually affects a consumer’s decision to purchase a product. I remember asking her, what about a more technical product? For instance, you advertise a car or something else that is more ‘technical’, rather than those emotional aspects? She then showed us those Thai advertisements.

One advertisement I remember was the “Unsung Hero”, an ad by Thai Life Insurance. The storyline went like this:

It told a story about a young man who performs small, selfless acts of kindness daily: giving money to a beggar, helping an elderly vendor push her cart, watering a dying plant, feeding a stray dog, and sharing fruits with a poor elderly.

In times where he himself has only notes of 100 and 20 Baht, he decided to donate the 100 Baht to the beggar, leaving 20 Baht for himself. Passerby might look at this as silly act.

These acts often gone unnoticed, even unapproved by others. Despite no immediate reward, he persists, driven by genuine compassion. The heart-warming plot twist: the little beggar girl he helps starts attending school, her life forever changed by his kindness. The ad closes with the man reflecting on his unchanged life but newfound happiness from helping others. The story emphasizes selfless giving, empathy, and the effect of kindness, aligning with Thai cultural values like community and gratitude. As creative copywriting it promotes Thai Life Insurance by associating the brand with compassion, subtly encouraging viewers to trust and choose their services.

Moral of the Story

Thinking back about the story, I think they tried to show us that some acts you did, such as buying life insurance policies, does not always give you an immediate reward. And the ‘reward’ itself is not always enjoyed by yourself, but rather it could support your family. Similar to the storyline how the man’s kindness was later repaid: the dying plant finally grew, the little girl started going to school and the elderly woman appreciated his kindness. This promotes the brand’s “Believe in Good” message. It also aligns with the brand’s tagline “Life, Beside You”.

Regardless of the conclusion they wanted to convey with audience, what was certain was that the ad left a deep impression on the viewers. And if you see the “Thailifechannel” Youtube account and many other accounts that published this advertisement, the story remains relevant until today and many people still commented that they got touched by watching this ad. 

The Power of Branded Content

In a Linkedin article “Storytelling in Advertising: The Power of Branded Content”, by author “THEUN KNOWN”, the author quoted: “In the world of advertising, the most successful campaigns are often the ones that feel less like ads and more like captivating stories. Traditional advertising was straightforward – products were presented, features were listed, and a call to action was made. While this approach still works, it’s no longer the primary vehicle for capturing consumer attention. Today, audiences seek more than just a sales pitch; they crave stories that connect on a deeper level, the emotional connection. Storytelling in advertising allows brands to tap into emotional side of their audience. You’re inviting consumers to join you on a journey, to feel something, and to become part of your story.” 

In the example of Thai Life Insurance ad, when a need to buy insurance arises, the brand will be customer’s top of mind. When “Unsung Hero” went viral on YouTube, racking up millions of views and shares, it functioned like content marketing by engaging audiences organically, even though it was an ad. Nowadays we can implement the similar storyline in a Youtube ad post, with a shorter time.

Supporting Case Studies

Studies reported in the Harvard Business Review showed that human brains are naturally attuned to storytelling and tend to respond better to narratives than to other forms of content sharing. Stories  have a unique ability to influence our brains and trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes trust. By creating stories that revolve around characters, brands can create more relatable and memorable content that resonates with audience.

HubSpot’s report stated video is currently the most popular form of media used in content marketing, with over 20% of companies investing in video content as part of their brand storytelling strategies. 

Far long before the digital videos era, Thai advertisements have already implemented brand storytelling in their products advertisements. But in this digital era, storytelling continues to thrive, with social media, blogs, podcasts, and videos providing platforms for individuals and brands to share their narratives with a global audience.

Digital Marketing Aspects Involved

If we break it down, there are a few digital marketing aspects involved:

• Content marketing: Unlike traditional advertising, this ad focuses on building relationships through insightful or entertaining content rather than hard-selling. The story includes subtle CTAs (e.g., mention of brand taglines “Believe in Good”)

• Copywriting: Thai ad storylines are designed to persuade and drive action. Even if the action isn’t immediate (e.g., buying insurance), the story aims to evoke emotions that make viewers associate positive feelings with the brand, encouraging future engagement.

• Creative advertising: This involves writing the narrative, dialogue, and visuals for digital ads, blending copywriting’s persuasion with cinematic storytelling. Thai ads often reflect cultural values (e.g., family, gratitude, kindness and pay it forward). 

• Backlinks: Thai ad storylines, as copywriting, make ads shareable (e.g., viral YouTube videos), earning backlinks from blogs or posts discussing them. This boosts the brand’s SEO, and attract links. Many ads nowadays are shareable on social media platforms. This aligns with content marketing’s goal of creating valuable, shareable content that boosts brand awareness.

---

Our Very Own Local Brand Storytelling

Similarly, we can see that Gojek also uses similar branded content. Gojek creates content that reflects Indonesian values: community, resilience, convenience, and aligns with cultural moments like Ramadhan, and topic of daily life struggles. 2021 ads “Ramadhan ini, dekatkan yang jauh, kirim yang bermakna pakai Gojek”. The ad reflects Indonesian values (community).

These are some examples of heartfelt storytelling I could gather. What’s your take on this?

---

A little sharing by: Anni Karolina (JCDMOLL-001)