Thai advertisements are in a completely different league compared to the rest of ours.
You’ve probably seen and been blown away by a Thai video commercial before. While Thai creative agencies are known for their poignant, emotionally charged works, occasionally they also churn out really wacky campaigns that are just weird in the best ways, like this series of food reviews for lifestyle app Wongnai.
Wongnai is the Thai equivalence of Foody, an online directory of restaurants, hotels and other services. Though Foody could only wish to be as creatively adventurous as Wongnai when it comes to ads.
These videos, which appear to be part of a food review series, are hosted by two mustachioed food gurus — one of them looks suspiciously like Childish Gambino. What makes them stand out from the crowd is the deadpan, awkward way they present the food — be it deep-fried fish with fish sauce or crab roe with milk.
The deadpan delivery is interspersed with typical “food porn” slow-motion close-ups shots, complete with classical music soundtrack.
It’s obvious that the awkwardness of Asian Childish Gambino and his friend is intentional, but we’re unsure of the nature of their relationship. The video gets weirder towards the end when, at one point, Thai Gambino appears shirtless, slathered in milk. What is going on?
Have a look at the duo’s videos below for a taste of Thai eccentricity: