Dairy Brand Dutchmill Group is Advertising for Mom-and-Pop Shops in Thailand Free of Charge

Traditional trade (affectionately known as Mom-and-Pop shops) have been around for a long time in Thailand. However, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in consumers changing the way they make purchases; even the convenient and quick transactions at mom-and-pop shops have been replaced by online shopping, CVS, and the ongoing pandemic. 

'Dutchmill Group', one of the most famous Thai milk brands have been a long-time partner and supporter of mom-and-pop shops. To show support during such tough times, Dutchmill group and Wunderman Thompson Thailand launched a campaign, 'Sponsor of Mom-and-pop shops' to draw in customers and grow the businesses together, rejuvenating the Thai economy.

Just like how Mom-and-Pop shops display Dutchmill Group products in their shops, Dutchmill Group wants to do the same for Mom-and-Pop shops, by promoting them to the right audience at the right time.

The sponsorship campaign kicked off with an online film, starring real shop owners. The film is stylised with a local mood and tone, both visually and through the score. It also functions as a recruitment for other owners to join by sending in their video clips promoting a selected local snack to pair with the milk cans. The clips are then promoted all over Thailand using geo-target ads to customers within a 1km radius around each shop. In addition, the campaign includes other materials that help promote the shops including out of home product posters, packaging, KV, and more.

Raviwan Mahakachaporn, marketing director of Dutchmill Group Thailand said: “Because each mom-and-pop shop has unique local snacks that reflect their province such as Thai Cake from Supanburi, Thai Mung Bean Custard from Petchburi, Curry Puff from Saraburi, Bamboo Roasted Rice from Nongmon, and Thai cotton candy from Ayuddhaya. We want to make ads for them, selling their snacks with our milk for customers to enjoy. We’re not only helping them out but creating new opportunities for both Duchmill Group and mom-and-pop shops.” 

“Mom-and-Pop shops have been an integral part of Thai people’s lives for over 200 years, we’re always addressing the shop owners affectionately as “Hey Uncle, Auntie” or “Hey Sister, Brother. They are more than just a shop to us, but are instead like a relative or a friend. This campaign was a bold move of Dutchmill who was brave enough to stand beside mom-and-pop shops in time of trouble,” says Thasorn Boonyanate, executive creative director of Wunderman Thompson Thailand.

Although the original plan was to sponsor 40 Mom-and-Pop shops, the overwhelmingly positive response from the community has seen Dutchmill Group extend the campaign by boosting more than 200 clips from different shops all over Thailand. From this campaign, the advertised shops have experienced up to 60% increase in sales, and will continue to receive advertisement support from Dutchmill Group until the end of 2021. 

Mom-and-Pop shop owners have also shared appreciation towards Dutchmill Group’s campaign to give back to the community.

The owner of Suwanna Shop, a Mom-and-Pop shop located at Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi says,“I am so glad that Dutch Mill saw the importance as no brand has ever sponsored us like this. Helping small shops like us advertise to the mass and greatly boosting our sales.”

“Usually it's the convenient stores and shopping malls that do big advertising like this. Small shops like us never had the chance before as we can't afford it. When our clip was advertised by Dutch Mill, more customers came and our sales increased," echoed the sentiments of Chaengwattana road.’s Pachara Shop.