The power of advertising: Saha Group chairman’s story (14)

Boonsithi Chokwatana is the Chairman of Saha Group, Thailand’s leading consumer products conglomerate. This is part 14 of a 30-part series.

Advertising has played a major role in the growth of Saha Group. In 1964, when we were desperately trying to grow the sales of toothpaste and powdered shampoo through our partnership with Japanese consumer products maker Lion, my father had the idea to establish Far East Advertising, Thailand’s first advertising agency.

My father realized the importance of advertising early on. It is commonplace now, but Chinese society in Thailand was different in the 1950s when my father was starting to grow his company. Business was all about trust and connections. Many viewed advertising as a waste that sacrificed profit margins.

My father was seen as a heretic by his business associates, but he did not mind. The process went like this: Saha would first place…