Exhibition
ALERT & AWARE The Art for Food Advertising and Marketing Literacy
By The “Thai Children Aware of Food Advertising and Marketing” project by the San Suk Foundation is supported by the Thai Media Fund.
Art Exhibition for Kids : Empowering Thai Kids to Be Media Literate in Food Advertising and Marketing
Sparking the “I Know marketing tricks, I Spot it !! : Know Before Choosing, Think Before Buying to Prevent Obesity and NCDs
The Thai Media Fund sponsors the “Thai Kids Media Literacy in Food Advertising and Marketing” project. The initiative aims to build immunity for Thai children facing heavy manipulation from commercial ads and marketing tactics that drive unhealthy eating habits.
As part of this initiative, a collection of educational materials for parents and teachers will be officially launched at the art exhibition titled “ALERT & AWARE: The Art for Food Advertising and Marketing Literacy.” The event will take place from July 8–12, 2026, at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC).
The Impact of Marketing on Children
Advertising and marketing targeted at children have a direct and significant impact on their consumption habits:
- 45.4% (nearly half) of Thai children experience an increased craving for certain foods after seeing advertisements.
- 38.5% actively urge or beg their parents to buy those advertised products.
- 38.1% end up consuming more of those specific foods.
Both domestic and international academic evidence consistently proves that regular exposure to food marketing correlates with an increase in Body Mass Index (BMI). It stands as a major risk factor for overweight issues, childhood obesity, and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the future.
Exhibition Highlights: “The Mart of Being Alert and Aware”
The ALERT & AWARE exhibition will open daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, July 8–12, 2026. The venue will transform into a simulated supermarket, translating dry academic data into fun, contemporary installation art across 12 highlight check-in points, including:
- “Think Before Buying” Basket: Discover 12 marketing tricks targeting kids—such as “health-claiming” (using added vitamins to mask high sugar content), using cartoon characters as bait, and exaggerated product visuals—through decorated shopping basket art. Visitors can also vote for the top 3 most common marketing tricks they encounter.
- “Ad Detective” Mini Theatre & MV: Watch a 3-episode animated cartoon series and join the fun with the “I Know, I Can Tell” dance routine, designed to instill media literacy concepts from an early age.
- Roleplay as an “Ad Detective”: Take on a challenge to spot deceptive ads. Armed with a magnifying glass and a “Detective Eyes” mask, kids will practice analyzing advertisements and answer trivia questions to win prizes.
- Comic Book Zone: Walk through a question-mark-shaped maze lined with the comic book series “The Alert Cat and Aware Kid.” The books are distributed for free, and cozy seating areas are provided for parents to read to their children, alongside a Parent Guide to help navigate the lessons together.
- Giant Snack Bag & Soda Bottle Sculptures: These massive installations expose the hidden ingredients that advertisements leave out—such as excess carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, and fat—symbolizing the true nature of “junk food.”
- Mexico’s Honest Labeling Zone: A special display comparing real snack bags, soda bottles, and milk cartons imported from Mexico, which implements strict laws requiring clear, black front-of-package warning labels (e.g., High Calories, High Sugar, High Sodium). Visitors can cast a symbolic vote on whether Thailand should adopt a similar system.
- Media Consumers, Media Creators: Spotlighting over 1,000 short videos and songs about media and marketing literacy. These pieces were created by 600 Thai youths from 20 high schools who have been trained to use AI technology ethically for content creation.
- The Art of Saying NO: A simulation room where visitors can practice saying “No” politely yet firmly to a simulated “Master Salesperson,” learning how to resist aggressive marketing and peer pressure.
An Invitation to the Public
Members of the press, parents, teachers, and the general public are warmly invited to bring children to visit the exhibition. Together, we can foster a safer environment and build essential life skills for Thai youth to be “alert and aware,” ensuring they choose their food based on knowledge and understanding rather than marketing influence.
For more information, please contact
Mobile 062-241-5000
Mobile 093-664-1632
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