Her new Baan Oom Living range, including kitchenware, home office supplies, clothing and DIY tools, is seeking to break into in a sector currently occupied by foreign names such as Habitat and Loft.
The new venture has created significant buzz in Thailand and drawn comparisons between her and Martha Stewart. Companion magazine Oom Living, which had yet to be launched as Media went to press, will combine household tips with a review of the latest trends, the latest of numerous lifestyle magazines launched in Thailand this year.
As Thailand's first domestic household goods brand, Baan Oom Living could fill a potential gap in the market, explained Kitimal Vajaranant, senior vice-president at McCann Erickson Thailand. "We don't have any established local brands like Oom's, but rather a lot of international brands," she said. "Also, in this industry, we don't have opinion leaders like Oom."
Oom's move has continued a tradition of celebrity endorsements in Thailand, such as supermodel Metinee Kingpayom, who launched a new health drink called Metinee's Secret.
"For Thai people, celebrity still has massive appeal and credibility," Kitimal said. "Oom has upheld her image gracefully. She is perceived as the 'new blood with substance', beauty that comes with brain. Her beauty is not the same as Kathaleeya (McIntosh or Mam, Thai TV actress), but more down-to- earth, a girl next door, which makes her more reachable and relevant - thus suitable to endorse any household product."
Oom needs to continue to build her image, in the past regarded as alternative, mainly due to the men she was dating, as a reliable opinion leader to give her product range strong foundations for success, Kitimal added.
