Media exposure and creative content are no longer necessary if a food stall is fortunate enough to have a celebrity visit or be influenced by a YouTuber, blogger, or through a tie-in in an online game. While competitive pricing is the prevailing weapon during times of recession, upcoming discounted prices then take centre stage as the frontrunner. Instead, heightened awareness and exposure frequency towards products and services are the game-changers for gaining long-term loyalty and serving as value enhancement not only for the business itself but also for the entire supply chain.
Chakrit Pichyangkul, Executive Director of the Creative Economy Agency (CEA), stated, "A creative label or logo on a drinking water bottle generates distinctiveness for market newcomers, especially in a space crowded with established brands. By adopting design as a key-driving strategy, revenues are distributed to the creative job market, helping to boost other related businesses such as food, hospitality, tourism, or event marketing."
The Creative Economy Agency (CEA), established since 2018 under the directive of the Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD), carries out the mission undertaken by the Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) to drive the national creative economy forward and reach the international arena. "The organisational reshuffle has focused specifically on promoting creativity in business. In 2021, the creative economy in Thailand generated 1.1 trillion baht, equivalent to 6.81% of the national GDP. The top three creative entities among the 15 creative industries, driving over 1.5 trillion baht to the overall sector, are small entrepreneurship in software animation, advertising, and cultural tourism. This robust surge created 963,549 employment opportunities in craft & art, advertising, and design in 2022. The growth in creative businesses is expected to double the overall economy in all sectors and grow by double in size by next year," explained the Director of the Creative Economy Agency (CEA).
Chakrit Pichyangkul, Executive Director of the Creative Economy Agency
In propelling this trend forward, "CREATIVE BUSINESS CONNEXT”, powered by CEA, is launched as Thailand’s most remarkable platform of 2023 to accelerate and enable opportunities for businesses of all sizes to get ahead of the game. The event features three strategic key events, namely Creativities Unfold, Creative Business Space, and Creative Excellence Awards, and will be hosted on August 24, 2023, at Samyan Mitrtown, Bangkok.
"Creativities Unfold" serves as a discussion forum led by world-class keynote speakers from leading creative industries worldwide. Creative talents in Thailand, especially in digital content and software, have a solid foundation in innovative solutions. Their untapped potentials can be maximised with opportunities and support alongside dynamic trends.
Hosted regularly in the past decade, Creativities Unfold is celebrated for the up-close and personal privilege of cultivating first-hand knowledge from global top-notch gurus. In 2023, under the theme "VISIONAIRE: Reminisce/The Way Forward”, each 45-minute forum engages five iconic figures, including Jaime Hayon, the Spanish industrial designer specialising in furniture and lighting design, leading the thought-provoking topic "Design Follows Function, and Then What."
As the rise of AI has been the catalyst for innovative solutions and a disruptive force in the past era, the positive energy of AI will be discussed under the topic "Human+ AI for the Future of Entertainment & Storytelling" by PP-Pat Pataranutaporn, the only Thai keynote speaker working at MIT Media Lab, recognised for his human-AI interaction tech savvy.
"Unimagined Cultural Solutions: A Global Journey into Future Creativity" by Hakuhodo's executive Kentaro Kimura will forge paths into the advertising world, while the film industry forces and fans will be thrilled by "Mission Possible: The Rise & Rise of the Asia Pacific Screen Industry" presented by Stephen Jenner of the Motion Picture Association. The topic session concludes with a discussion of forthcoming architectural designs by Lyndon Neri, Asia’s leading visionary architect, accredited for his incorporation of retail concepts, designs, and cultural exhibitions that provide business inspiration.
"While creativity in digital industries has been highlighted in recent years for its leaps in development and revenue generation, Thailand's legacy of creativity rooted in culture and heritage must not be overlooked. Therefore, the other two events at the 'CREATIVE BUSINESS CONNEXT' event will be hosted for the first time to support ongoing growth and reflect the success of Thailand’s endeavour to drive the creative economy forward."
Concurrently with the speaking forum, "Creative Business Space" is hosted as a business matching platform connecting the gastronomic industry to creative businesses. "Food business is selected as the debut theme for the Creative Business Space venue, as the industry largely consists of a diverse range of hospitality businesses, including restaurants, cafes, hotels, retail, food products, and more, where creative businesses can help boost competitive advantages and inspire new ideas for business owners and related sectors such as cultural tourism."
The closing event, "Creative Excellence Awards" (CE AWARDS), is hosted for the first time to recognise individuals, communities, entrepreneurs, enterprises, or organisations applying creativity to generate impactful values for the economy, society, and sustainable development for national growth. The CE Awards consist of 15 awards under three main categories:
The CE Awards consist of 15 awards under three main categories, namely:
Creative City Awards, which recognise efforts contributed by communities by connecting local legends to transform areas into tourism boosters, generating revenues for the zone. Inspired by CEA initiatives over the past decade, particularly in the Charoenkrung district and large provinces in Thailand, the interactive spaces and experiential designs allow visitors and locals alike to immerse themselves in light & sound displays, alongside other modern approaches that teach the area’s history and heritage.
Creative Business Awards, which include Sustainability Awards given to products and services that focus on green sustainability. Value Creation Awards are bestowed upon products, services, or collaborative projects that combine economic impact and sustainability enhancement.
Creative Social Impact Awards, which recognise creative efforts and initiatives in resolving or mitigating risks associated with social issues aligned with the UN’s SDGs, such as health and well-being, senior citizen life quality, education, and social equality.
Chakrit Pichyangkul, Executive Director of CEA, concludes, "Our endeavour in promoting creative economic development across Thailand's industries has resulted in a myriad of qualified nominees. The Mandala AI Ecosystem is therefore employed as a Social Listening tool to shortlist nominees before submitting them to committee members who are University professors. The semi-final round will be judged by honourable experts in creative industries prior to the final round, which will be held for discussion and voting by esteemed specialists from diverse industries."
For more information on registration, schedules, and reservations to join the CREATIVE BUSINESS CONNEXT on August 24, 2023, from 10:00-20:00 hours at Samyan Mitrtown, please visit Facebook: CreativeEconomyAgency and creativebusiness.cea.or.th