AOY Insights is a series celebrating some of the top wins from Campaign Asia-Pacific’s Agency of the Year awards. Join us as we take a closer look at the entries that struck gold this year. 

Key Wins: Thailand Independent Agency of the Year 

Other wins: Thailand PR Agency of the Year, Thailand Creative Agency of the Year (Silver); Thailand Digital Innovation Agency of the Year (Bronze) 

A decade ago, the script for an independent agency was to make enough of an impact to become an acquisition target for one of the large holding companies. But with the universe of holding companies and their constituent agencies in near constant flux over the past year, there now exists an opportunity for indies to assert themselves and offer an alternative path for marketers, talent, and the industry at large. 

CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok could have taken an easy path, resting on its laurels and longstanding client relationships. Krungsri has been with the agency for 11 years now while key clients including Honda and KFC are nearing the decade-long mark. 

Instead, CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok have opted for transformation, driven by the belief that reinvention is the only way forward. The agency has enshrined these principles in its FUTURE philosophy: an acronym that stands for future thinking creativity; unstoppable investment; transformative media; uniting client teams, partners, and communities; reskilling for the future, and the end impact. 

Pitting itself as an agency delivering solutions for ‘future challenges’ rather than yesterday’s trends, CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok has made significant investments in AI, using it to drive everything from creative output and media planning to staff travel and reimbursements. The agency has created Thailand’s first fully integrated AI-powered creative unit, a pioneering amalgam of data, creativity, and technology. The AI-stack at CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok is geography agnostic, using the best from the US and China-based tech companies. 

Far from being a bet that will pay off in a distant future, the AI interventions at CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok have already started yielding results. Media planning time has reduced by 40% and influencer campaigns on TikTok have led to a 25% engagement uplift, with the platform emerging as a scalable new sales channel. 

AI has also brought down creative costs and boosted campaign variation testing by 5x, resulting in higher performing media assets. These interventions have translated into more cost effective campaigns for clients including Thai Airways and Faciz cosmetics. 

With marketers often feeling snowed under by the vast gamut of choices and approaches when it comes to marketing, CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok has taken on the onus of keeping its clients ‘future ready’ with a quarterly showcase of new trends and innovations. 

However, reinvention requires an upskilled and reskilled workforce first and foremost. CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok has ensured that its staff are up to speed with training. The agency conducts weekly sessions to bring them closer to tech and AI platforms, as well as sponsors advanced certifications and global workshops. 

AS a result, the agency has an enviable track record at pitches, and significantly reduced talent attrition. Other employee friendly strategies include Ignite Café, a central hub with free flowing beverages. CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok supports the off-hours passions of its employees with clubs themed around running, badminton, football, and even massage. 

The result is better business outcomes for clients with every brief pegged as a business opportunity and not just a communication mandate. The agency’s most successful campaigns this year include Thailand’s first fully AI-generated animated brand film for PTTBlueplus+ to help reposition a loyalty program. For the launch of perfume brand Journal, the agency created an NFC enabled fragrance tester that helped forge connections on Instagram. A holistic approach from the agency sees it leveraging online trends and traditional PR for brands like energy drink M-150 

On the business front, CJ WORX and Spore Bangkok managed to exceed the full year revenue target for 2024 in just H1 of 2025, providing value to its shareholders. Despite a macroeconomic environment characterised by gloom, tariffs, and uncertainty, the agency clocked double digit growth for the whole year.  Effectiveness has not been at the cost of creativity, with the agency picking up accolades at the Cannes Lions Festival and D&AD 

CJ WORX & Spore Bangkok is keen on helping the next generation of talent pick advertising as an option via collaborations with educational institutions including Chulalongkorn University and Sripatum University. 

Commending the agency’s performance, the judges praised its diversity of work and demonstrable business impact, as well as its high client retention. 

Read more at: https://www.campaignasia.com/article/aoty-insights-cj-worx-and-spore-bangkok-ranked-as-top-agency-of-the-year-among-t/506599