Grey Thailand has announced a significant victory at the prestigious global advertising awards, The One Show Awards 2026, securing Thailand's first Green Pencil award along with a Merit award in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) category for the campaign “Microbes Stop PM 2.5”. This campaign transformed the PM 2.5 issue into an opportunity for sustainable environmental and social development in Thailand.

The campaign was a collaboration between the Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) and the Department of Agriculture to address the structural issues of PM 2.5 dust caused by the burning of agricultural waste. Both agencies developed an innovative "microbial starter" that effectively decomposes rice straw into organic fertilizer within just seven days, permanently breaking the cycle of burning waste.

Grey Thailand took on the role of strategizing and creating communication campaigns that resonate with the target audience by applying logical reasoning that aligns with farmers' lifestyles. The campaign shifted from a general call for cooperation to highlighting the tangible benefits of using this microbial innovation.

Kanakorn Sihapan, CEO of Grey Thailand, shared insights about the campaign, stating, "The heart of Grey's work is 'Famously Effective'. Our mission is to communicate the innovations of ThaiHealth and the Department of Agriculture to reach the hearts of farmers. We understand that sustainably addressing PM 2.5 dust from agricultural burning must begin with solving farmers' livelihood issues. Therefore, our communication focuses on transforming environmental crises into opportunities for income generation and cost reduction."

Jiradech Penglengpol, Vice President of Creative at Grey Thailand, added, “The creative solution of the campaign was to shift the mindset from a campaign to stop harming the planet to offering alternatives that help farmers reduce costs for fertilizers, prepare soil, and increase yields. The economic viability and sustainability achieved are likely key reasons for the campaign's success and for winning the first Green Pencil award for Thailand.”

The success of the 'Microbes Stop PM 2.5' campaign has changed farmers' perspectives, driving widespread acceptance and use of the microbial starter innovation from ThaiHealth and the Department of Agriculture. This has led to measurable economic and environmental outcomes, starting with improved soil aeration, allowing farmers to prepare land for the next planting season more quickly, facilitating natural nutrient cycling in the soil, and reducing chemical fertilizer costs by up to 50%. When soil is nourished with organic fertilizer decomposed by microbes, the improved soil health leads to increased rice yields in subsequent harvests.

This behavioral change has resulted in farmers preparing land without burning over 96 million square meters nationwide, leading to a reduction in hotspots from rice field burning during peak burning seasons, according to satellite data from GISTDA. This helps decrease the density of PM 2.5 dust in pilot provinces, proving that when effective innovations from the government are supported by targeted communication strategies that understand consumers, they can create sustainable change for society and the environment.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Grey Thailand reaffirms its commitment to being part of the movement to improve society and the environment by presenting creative and effective communication ideas and solutions to create tangible positive changes for Thailand and our world.

The One Show awards are recognized by the global creative industry as one of the most rigorous judging platforms. The Green Pencil award is the highest honor for environmentally friendly creative work, where judges not only consider outstanding ideas but also assess “real-world impact”. Meanwhile, the Merit award in the SDGs category certifies that the campaign effectively drives the United Nations' sustainable development goals.