Branding Beyond the Classroom: Sasin Students Co-Create Community Impact in Tha Chalom

In the Brand Management Strategy course at Sasin School of Management, learning is intentionally designed to extend beyond the classroom, placing community engagement, meaningful connection, and real-world application at the core of business education. This approach reflects Sasin’s belief that experiential learning, grounded in theory and supported by appropriate digital tools, can generate shared value for students, local communities, and entrepreneurs. As an embedded component of the course, students led by Assistant Professor Yupin Patarapongsant visited Tha Chalom, Samut Sakhon, to engage directly with the community’s ongoing initiatives in place identity development, heritage-based branding, and multi-stakeholder urban regeneration. The field immersion provided first-hand insight into how community-rooted branding can create sustainable local impact. This initiative builds on Sasin’s continued engagement with the Tha Chalom community. On July 5, 2025, the Sasin MBA 2024 cohort conducted a structured field study involving on-site observations and interviews with local entrepreneurs. Back on campus, student teams applied AI-powered design tools to develop and enhance brand identities—including logos and visual layouts—for Lung Huat Rice Porridge, Tha Chalom Shaved Ice, Jay Nok Dried Seafood, Aunt Paew Traditional Thai Massage, and Jay Noi Fried Mussel Shop. Building on this foundation, the Sasin Executive MBA 2024 cohort returned for a second phase of collaboration within the past six months, strengthening continuity and deepening relationships between the academic community and local entrepreneurs. During the January 18, 2026 field session, students worked in multidisciplinary teams to co-develop brand elements, brand identities, and strategic branding recommendations for Baan Ruea Udom Homestay, Krua Lung Tuk Restaurant, and Pijika Shop. By integrating branding theory with AI-powered creative tools, these projects are being refined into practical deliverables that will be formally handed over to the entrepreneurs to support real-world implementation and business growth. Follow-up sessions and community visits have been scheduled to ensure continuity and meaningful knowledge transfer. Through sustained partnerships with local subsistence entrepreneurs, Sasin students bridge theory and practice while co-creating branding solutions that are socially grounded, economically relevant, and sustainability-oriented.