SCG Packaging Public Company Limited (SCGP), together with Lion Corporation (Thailand) Limited and the Marketing Association of Thailand (MAT), has launched the 34th J-MAT Award, a national comprehensive marketing plan competition under the theme “Packaging Speak Out: The Power of Premium Herbs,” inviting university students from across the country to challenge their marketing ideas. Recently, the competition details and criteria were announced, along with special lectures during the briefing day, to prepare contestants in designing marketing plans in collaboration with real businesses, aiming to elevate brand experience for consumers through the integration of Connected Packaging. Registration is open until September 10, 2025, with awards including Royal Trophy of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and certificate.
Dr. Buranin Rattanasombat, President of the Marketing Association of Thailand (MAT), stated that this year’s J-MAT Award, the national marketing plan competition, is held under the concept “Packaging Speak Out: The Power of Premium Herbs.” The competition is supported by SCGP, a leading packaging solutions provider in ASEAN, and Lion (Thailand), a top national manufacturer of household consumer products. One of Lion’s products, Hi-Herb organic toothpaste, has been selected as the focus of this year’s competition for participants to develop a marketing plan and design packaging that connects the brand with consumers.
“Today, the traditional 4Ps of marketing have expanded to 5. In addition to Product, Price, Place, and Promotion, the fifth P is Packaging. Packaging now needs to communicate effectively, boost sales, and support the other 4Ps across both offline and online markets to meet consumer needs. Packaging should go beyond design, incorporating creativity and marketing strategies to satisfy customer needs and deliver an exceptional consumer experience. This year’s competition topic challenges students to think outside the box and prepare for real-world marketing scenarios,” Dr. Buranin said.
Ms. Kanchana Arakwatana, Fiber Packaging Marketing Director, SCGP, stated that SCGP is delighted to participate in this national marketing plan competition, which provides young people with the opportunity to showcase their potential. This year’s challenge focuses on packaging design integrated with Connected Packaging, combined with marketing plan development for consumer products under the Hi-Herb brand. The aim is to enhance brand value and consumer experience, with an emphasis on “Customer Centricity” while consistently considering social and environmental responsibility.
“SCGP has always placed importance on youth development through the SCGP Packaging Speak Out program, a creative packaging competition that has been held for ten years. This year, SCGP has collaborated with the Marketing Association of Thailand to further this mission. At the same time, Lion (Thailand) has been a long-standing business partner of SCGP, sharing the same commitment to supporting youth learning and potential. This has led to the creation of this national-level marketing plan competition based on a real business case,” she added.
Mr. Prasert Surattanamethakul, New Business Executive Director, Lion Thailand, shared his perspective that packaging today plays a vital role in supporting marketing and protecting the environment, aligning with the sustainability trends increasingly valued by consumers. This has fostered collaboration between manufacturers and customers, such as Lion and SCGP, in developing packaging that becomes part of the marketing plan—capable of both attracting customers and caring for the planet. Moreover, packaging serves as tangible proof of a brand’s connection with consumers, acting as a communication channel at the point of sale. “No matter how strong a brand’s marketing communication may be across various media, when consumers stand before the shelves and find that the packaging is not appealing, the purchase often does not happen. Packaging, therefore, becomes the decisive factor in which brand emerges as the winner,” he explained.
“The competition’s challenge this year, therefore, emphasizes developing a marketing plan in parallel with packaging design, focusing on the online marketplace and new-generation consumers—the key drivers of the future consumer products market. What Lion and SCGP are doing together today will undoubtedly benefit students who will go on to pursue careers related to marketing in this sector in the future,” Mr. Prasert concluded.
Communicating through Packaging, Unboxing Future: The Untapped Potential
Ms. Atittaya Chumpa, Customer Science Department Manager, SCGP, highlighted that packaging is more than just a protective layer for products—it can create new experiences and act as a bridge between brands and consumers. Brand owners must study and understand not only consumer needs but also the evolving behaviors of modern consumers while being prepared for changes in both environmental volatility and digital technology transformation. She summarized these changes into three key trends for 2025; Care: caring for the planet, Shift: constant adaptation, and Value: creating genuine value with sincerity.
Enhancing Consumer Experience, Unlocking Connected Packaging Success
Ms. Dararat Amornwongpeeti, Supervisor – Packaging Development, SCGP, explained that Connected Packaging—one type of Smart Packaging—creates interactivity with consumers through scanning a unique QR code on packaging. This allows consumers to engage more with the brand, while also enabling data collection on consumer behavior and preferences that can be measured via digital systems. It also supports sales activities such as consumer reward programs. Additionally, it empowers consumers to verify product authenticity and trace product origins back to the source, thereby enhancing consumer trust and creating a better overall experience.
Differentiation through Consumer-Centric Marketing Plans
Asst. Prof. Ake Pattaratanakun, Ph.D. (Cantab), Head of the Marketing Department, Chulalongkorn Business School, emphasized that marketing today must go beyond simply promoting product quality—since every brand claim to have good quality. Professional marketers must deeply understand their customers—not just their demographics but also behaviors, beliefs, familiarity, and decision-making drivers—in order to build differentiation and integrate the product seamlessly into consumers’ daily lives.
The 34th J-MAT Award national marketing plan competition, under the theme “Packaging Speak Out: The Power of Premium Herbs”, has already attracted over 3,000 applicants. Applications remain open until September 10 at 5:00 p.m. through https://award.jmat.work/. Students can apply individually or as a team, competing for a total prize pool of over THB 500,000, along with Royal Trophy of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and certificate.
Published on: Sep 2, 2025