When talking about one of the leading developers in Thailand that has captured the hearts of Thai people for over 30 years, the name "AP Thailand" must come to mind. As a leader in the Thai real estate industry, AP has a clear mission: EMPOWER LIVING. Over the years, AP has not only been committed to being a provider of products and services that support customers in choosing to 'live a good life' in their own way.

          However, AP also has an interesting brand-building strategy that has made it a standout brand, continuously winning the hearts of every generation of Thais.

          With AP's past successes in terms of sales and the continuous launch of projects, it clearly demonstrates AP's success as a leader in the real estate industry. But another key aspect that has contributed to AP's success is ‘building a strong brand’, which has always been a priority for AP.

          Many may wonder how AP has built its brand over the years?

          One of the best people to answer this question is “Pao” Sanphasit Phungfuangchewan, Senior Director of Corporate Brand Strategy at AP (Thailand) Public Company Limited, a key figure behind the AP brand for over 9 years.

Sanphasit illustrates the brand-building journey of AP interestingly, stating that a good brand builder should not view a brand merely as a logo or an advertisement, but rather as an essential puzzle piece that drives the organization. Therefore, my first task upon joining AP was to try to change what the organization was without altering it too much, while simultaneously identifying the brand's DNA and communicating it as effectively as possible.

          Throughout the past 30 years, one of AP's strengths that is clearly reflected through its products is ‘Space or Space Allocation’. When combined with being a Thinker Brand, it makes the development projects of AP, whether single houses, townhomes, or condominiums, not start from designing the house to see how it will look, but rather from designing the space, making AP stand out as a Space Expert.

As we entered the era of digital disruption, AP underwent a significant Rebrand, integrating digital technology into the organization while collaborating with leading companies in the United States that serve global brands like Nike. This led to the creation of a new mission or Brand Purpose, which became the foundation of EMPOWER LIVING. This main mission signifies the development of living spaces that not only meet the needs of living but also extend to the services provided, maintaining the DNA of space allocation while evolving into a Living Solution that supports customers from buying to selling their homes.

          As the world faced an unexpected pandemic crisis, it became a crucial turning point for AP to revisit and ask itself what it could do for society or how it could express a clear (Social Standpoint).

          From this initial question, AP crystallized into several charming campaigns that were gradually launched, such as “Make Living Great Again”, a campaign aimed at encouraging people in society facing challenging situations, and “Home is Empowering”, a campaign that conveys that ultimately, the best source of life energy for people is home. Both projects received positive feedback and reflected that AP is a brand ready to stand by the Thai people.

Now, in the current prolonged pandemic situation, AP continues to listen to the voices of society, asking what residents truly need in such circumstances. This led AP to discover and crystallize that the definition of happiness for people today is no longer the same as in the past, and how can AP deliver happiness to people when the definition of happiness has changed?

          “As I said, I believe that a good brand must have a clear social standpoint. It must be bold enough to say new things to address or help society according to the context that arises. In a time when society feels like it is waiting for something, whether waiting for problems to resolve or waiting for the old happiness to return, a good brand should create value and meaning in life, rather than just focusing on selling products,” the brand builder emphasizes the role of a good brand that translates into AP.

It is from this crystallization of thought that the announcement of the (Brand Promise) “A Good Life You Can Choose” emerged, marking the first time in 10 years. The definition of the term “A Good Life” means a good life that customers choose for themselves, while AP's role is to provide various options for customers to choose what they want.

          Breaking Down 3 Strategies to Create “A Good Life You Can Choose”

          From the Brand Promise “A Good Life You Can Choose”, this will be used as the core in communicating AP's brand stance, so that consumers can recognize and understand the meaning of the brand's main mission, EMPOWER LIVING, more clearly. It also helps create a memory that AP is a brand that empowers everyone to be happy with what they choose. The three main strategies include:

     1. HAPPINESS HAS NO BLUEPRINTS : Creating a new dimension in living under the belief that happiness has no fixed template. Everyone can choose to create happiness in their own way through 16 real estate brands under AP, which include single houses, townhomes, and condominiums. Not only do they cover every lifestyle and segment, but they also fulfill every desire for living, as AP does not just present different house designs but meticulously designs every detail in every project to meet what residents are looking for.

     2. INNOVATION FROM YOU FOR YOU : Breaking the traditional definition of innovation, not just focusing on technology, but AP delves into the innovation of happiness that meets life needs perfectly. Designing innovations through a customer-centered process, using Design Thinking to identify customers' unmet needs and understanding through Empathy Design Approach to develop products and services that address the diverse hidden desires of customers.

“Innovations that are comprehensive but not useful are no different from a burden for residents. Therefore, AP will choose to use technology that is practical and importantly, easy to maintain in the future, along with developing various functionalities within the SMART WORLD application that empowers living at home to be easy and customizable according to lifestyle.”

      3. COMMUNITY OF THE FUTURE : Being part of empowering society, AP does not see itself merely as a developer providing good lives to AP residents but aims to create a good community in society and be part of designing a better society through various social campaigns. One such project is the AP Unusual Football Field, transforming shapeless spaces into a football field in the Khlong Toei community. This project earned AP the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Festival and was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the 25 Best Inventions of the Year.

Another interesting campaign by AP is the Space Scholarship, where AP chooses to provide scholarships in square meters or housing for students from provinces who move to study at universities in Bangkok instead of giving cash.

Igniting the Concept of “A Good Life You Can Choose”

With a strong strategy in place, AP will leverage the Brand Promise “A Good Life You Can Choose” to create awareness in society.

            Sanphasit revealed that AP chose to create a new dimension by partnering with GDH, a film studio known for feel-good movies, as a sponsor for the quality Thai film FAST & FEEL LOVE. The reason for choosing a large platform like film is a key part of communicating the Brand Promise “A Good Life You Can Choose”, as it aims to empower viewers nationwide to experience the definition of happiness that does not need a blueprint, a happiness that everyone can choose to create themselves.

“From the film, we also extended to the campaign “A Place of Happiness, Just Thinking About It Makes You Happy,” featuring Yaya Urassaya Sperbund and Nut Nattapol Kitcharit as AP Brand Ambassadors, presenting perspectives on creating happiness in life through the latest advertising film series to inspire everyone in society to realize that you can ‘choose’ to create happiness at home every day. AP hopes that the simple techniques for creating happiness communicated in the TVC will be a starting point to empower everyone to choose to create their own happiness perspective.”

All of this is the behind-the-scenes strategy driving the AP brand.

The most important aspect of implementing these strategies is that there must be ‘sincerity’ in communicating the DNA of the AP brand, which has never stopped developing the brand to meet the changing contexts of society. However, if you want to delve deeper into the behind-the-scenes ideas of brand building and the new journey of AP, you can watch the full recap at https://www.facebook.com/terrabkk/videos/381755670498262.

#APTHAI #A Good Life You Can Choose