In a powerful move to fortify Thailand’s burgeoning creator economy against the disruptive tides of artificial intelligence, industry leader Tellscore has announced the launch of the “Thailand Influencer Awards 2025.” Under the potent theme “Creators of Change – Changing the World, Path to Survival,” the event signals a strategic pivot for the industry, emphasizing personal branding and authentic human connection as the essential toolkit for survival and growth.
This initiative comes as the global creator market is projected to surge to an astonishing $32.5 billion in 2025, underscoring the critical need for Thai creators to adapt, innovate, and professionalize to capture a larger share of this lucrative pie. Bolstered by a formidable coalition of major partners, including Thai Life Insurance, ICONSIAM, and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa), the awards aim to not only celebrate top talent but to architect a new standard for the industry, positioning Thailand as a regional powerhouse in the digital creative space.
The Booming Creator Economy: A Global Gold Rush with Local Stakes
The creator and influencer economy is no longer a nascent industry but a global economic juggernaut. According to market data from Statista.com, the sector is expanding at a staggering average annual rate of 20-30%. Having reached a market value of $24 billion in 2024, it is on a sharp upward trajectory to hit $32.5 billion by 2025, a testament to its resilience and growing integration into mainstream marketing and economic strategies. This explosive growth reflects a fundamental shift in how content is produced, consumed, and monetized, transforming individual creators from niche entertainers into significant drivers of commerce and culture.
It is within this high-stakes context that Tellscore, a leading force in Thailand’s influencer marketing landscape, is staging the “Thailand Influencer Awards 2025.” The event is positioned as more than just a ceremony; it is a strategic intervention designed to guide the nation’s creative talent through a period of immense opportunity and unprecedented technological challenges.
The theme, “Creators of Change – Changing the World, Path to Survival,” was deliberately chosen to encapsulate this new reality. It reframes the role of the creator as someone who wields the power of storytelling not just for entertainment, but to generate tangible, positive impact on individuals, the economy, and society at large—even amidst political and environmental instability. Today’s creators are now vital sources of inspiration, knowledge, and economic stimulus, empowering audiences to discover new possibilities in their own lives.
A CEO’s Playbook for the AI Era: Coexistence, Not Conflict
As artificial intelligence continues its rapid infiltration into creative fields, the central question for creators is no longer if AI will have an impact, but how to adapt to its presence. Suvita Charanwong, CEO & Co-founder of Tellscore, offers a clear and decisive strategy: creative coexistence. She argues that the path to survival and relevance in the AI age lies not in resisting the technology, but in harnessing its power while doubling down on the one thing it cannot replicate: genuine human connection.
“This market will certainly continue to grow despite global economic volatility, but the path ahead will not be easy,” stated Suvita Charanwong. “Creators and brands must adapt quickly, paying close attention to global geopolitics and regional opportunities, particularly within ASEAN. They should also begin producing content in English or Chinese to tap international markets, where demand is shifting rapidly from awareness to conversion, with increasingly complex and diverse KPIs. Those who adapt will be the ones who survive.”
At the core of her vision is the imperative for creator-led branding. This strategy transcends superficial differentiation, focusing instead on “telling stories with a human connection.” It involves a deeper form of communication that articulates a brand’s core values, demonstrates the tangible value it offers consumers, and showcases the authentic relationship between influencers and their communities. To amplify this connection, Suvita advocates for the integration of O2O (online-to-offline) marketing, leveraging physical events, workshops, and concerts to build tangible, lasting engagement that digital interactions alone cannot achieve.
Regarding the direct application of AI, Suvita suggests a pragmatic and transparent approach. Creators can leverage the technology as a powerful assistant, for instance, by developing their own AI avatars to produce short-form content or using AI tools to streamline brand-building tasks. However, she strongly emphasizes that transparency is non-negotiable. “She stressed the need for transparency, making it clear when content is AI-generated to avoid confusing consumers,” the press release notes. This honesty, Suvita believes, is what will ultimately enhance a creator’s value and credibility, solidifying trust with both brands and audiences.
The Digital Battlefield: Platform Dynamics and Untapped Markets
A key part of navigating the creator economy is understanding the shifting sands of the social media landscape. Suvita provides a sharp analysis of the current platform ecosystem, offering a strategic map for businesses and creators alike.
- Established Titans: TikTok maintains its powerful momentum, while YouTube is undergoing a strategic evolution, placing greater emphasis on long-form content and aggressively expanding into social commerce through e-commerce partnerships.
Instagram holds its ground as the premier space for trendsetters, with its Stories format continuing to deliver exceptionally high engagement.
- Rising Stars: Among the emerging platforms, Lemon8 is rapidly gaining traction with Gen Z audiences due to its simple, quick-to-consume content formats. Meanwhile, the Chinese social commerce platform
XiaoHongShu is aggressively expanding its footprint in Thailand and across the ASEAN region, presenting a golden opportunity for bilingual creators fluent in English and Chinese.
Beyond specific platforms, Suvita identifies a profoundly significant and promising market opportunity: the Rainbow Economy. She points to the growing influence of LGBTQ+ creators as a powerful force that aligns perfectly with modern consumer values. Thailand’s reputation for openness and diversity provides a unique competitive advantage in this space.
For brands, collaborating with these creators is not merely a commercial transaction; it is a way to build deep emotional connections and foster trust with Gen Z and Millennial consumers, who prioritize authenticity, inclusion, and genuine brand values.
A Coalition of Titans: Public and Private Sectors Unite for Growth
The significance of the Thailand Influencer Awards 2025 is magnified by the powerful coalition of partners standing behind it. This strategic alignment of major corporations and government bodies signals a unified national effort to professionalize the creator industry and elevate it to international standards.
Thai Life Insurance has joined forces with Tellscore to launch the “Make Social Media Matter” campaign, an initiative aimed at transforming social media into a more positive and inspiring space. Miss Thitima Liangpanich, Senior Vice President of Thai Life Insurance, explained, “Our mission at Thai Life Insurance is to be a brand that inspires society to recognise the value of love and the value of life.
Our latest campaign, ‘Make Social Media Meaningful,’ invites people in the online community, together with creators, to share and pass on meaningful stories from their own lives.” To put this vision into action, the company is sponsoring a special award, the ‘Best Meaningful Content by Thai Life Insurance,’ which includes a 50,000 baht cash prize for five winners who have produced content with exceptional societal value.
As the official venue partner, ICONSIAM is lending its prestigious platform to the event. Mrs. Suma Wongphan, Executive Vice President of Marketing, emphasized their deep commitment to the creator community. “ICONSIAM has always placed great importance on creators, with a significant share of our marketing driven by content creators and influencers… Our support for the Thailand Influencer Awards 2025 not only promotes the role of creators in inspiring society and driving the creative economy as part of Thailand’s soft power, but also provides a space where everyone can come together to celebrate success.”
From the public sector, the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) provides a crucial government endorsement, cementing the industry’s role in the national economic agenda. Dr. Warin Ratchananusorn, Acting Senior Executive Vice President at depa, highlighted the government’s recognition of creators as “a new generation of digital entrepreneurs who can generate income, drive innovation, and propel the country’s digital economy forward.” He further detailed their vital contributions, from supporting SMEs through social commerce to amplifying Thailand’s soft power on the global stage.
This powerful triumvirate is supported by a host of other leading organizations, including the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), Grab, Major Cineplex Group, and CP Group, among others, reflecting a broad consensus on the industry’s importance.
Conclusion: Architecting the Future of Thailand’s Digital Economy
The Thailand Influencer Awards 2025 by Tellscore is shaping up to be far more than an awards night. It is a cornerstone event for Thailand’s digital economy, a strategic nexus where the private sector, government agencies, and creative talent converge to forge a sustainable and globally competitive future. By championing human-centric creativity in the age of AI and establishing new benchmarks for professionalism and impact, the initiative aims to solidify the role of influencers and creators as indispensable agents of positive change, driving not only commerce but also the culture and social fabric of Thailand.
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