Our unconventional approach to partnerships

In every sense of the word, the organizations and brands we collaborate with are our partners. 

“We look at engaging with our partners on several levels,” shares Partnership Director Donna Mei-Ling Dienel. “And that includes culture and innovation.”

People come from all over the world to Thailand to experience culture at Wonderfruit—it’s a destination event. That’s why we’re proud purveyors of the ‘Amazing Thailand’ campaign with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Being homegrown in Thailand, we see working with Thai government agencies such as the TAT and the Ministry of Culture as key to celebrating our Thai roots. 

Culture is not static. It’s constantly evolving through influence and dialogue, growing as it’s shared between other cultures. We’ve welcomed this kind of exchange by showcasing content from partners such as The British Council, Austrian Embassy, Goethe Institute and French Embassy.

Donna highlights that it’s a reciprocal relationship. Just as partners enrich people’s experience in The Fields, The Fields can be a place of innovation. Wonderfruit is as much a playground for brands as it is for our Wonderers. It’s a lab where brands can experiment and try new things, find interesting ways to be more sustainable, to support and align themselves with culture, art and expression.

For Donna, it’s a holistic approach. “What we offer partners is a way to create something meaningful that adds to a Wonderer’s experience,” she explains. “But it’s also an invitation to find creative ways to work.”

We encourage our partners to push the boundaries of traditional marketing, creating bold, unconventional experiences that redefine engagement with their audiences. It’s not an easy undertaking, but we encourage it and try to provide our partners with the support they need.

The Fields are a playground where it’s safe to discover and experiment. With Defender, we built an entire off-road Drive Experience in the land around The Fields, which showcased the hybrid Defender’s abilities. This was paired with a special mid-drive wellness workshop in the midst of nature to emphasize the intersection possible between urban technology and human well-being.

What we hope to achieve at each edition of Wonderfruit is to cultivate a space where people can go on personal journeys, where everything they discover has been curated to invite a deeper connection to self, the environment and how that might relate to well-being.

“And if this doesn’t ring true for someone,” says Donna, “then we won’t partner with them.”

“All festivals have spirit partners,” explains Donna, “typically with a strong emphasis on logo displays. Our no logo policy challenges our spirit partners to push beyond traditional awareness-raising tactics and focus on the experiential.” 

Singha has defined itself as a sustainability enthusiast that proudly showcases Thai talent. This includes learning how to create unique experiences while leaving a minimal impact on the environment, expanding their contribution in The Fields to having their own venue, Ziggurat, as well as playing a role in educating people about adopting circularity. 

Patron, meanwhile, has aligned itself with educational workshops and culinary pairings.

“We feel beholden to our community to create meaningful experiences,” says Donna. “We’re about exploration, discovery and connection. We don’t have a headliner culture—so naturally, we avoid branding and traditional advertising too.”

It’s a policy that’s imprinted into our DNA. We believe it’s a way to connect with people more meaningfully, instead of disconnecting you from a brand. We believe that thinking about your brand differently opens up a way for Wonderers to connect to a brand more deeply. There’s a deeper connection to be made that lives longer than logo recognition.

“We do share partner logos on our website and social media,” admits Donna. “But to have a logo appear in The Fields would take you out of the experience. It wouldn't flow with the ecosystem that has been lovingly and intentionally crafted by everyone.”

It’s an interconnected, living organism that allows people to explore, wander, discover new things and import what they feel and learn in The Fields to their daily life.

Some of our partners have helped us create wonder from day one. From the very first Wonderfruit to a Decade of Wonder, Singha has grown with us. This year, Singha is also presenting Intermission at Ziggurat, providing a home to our platform for local unsigned music and helping to showcase fresh Thai talent. 

“We’re all creators of Wonderfruit in some way, including (and especially) the Wonderers,” shares Donna. “We all create the atmosphere. Finding partners who respect that balance and are enthusiastic about adding to it, is important.”

Every partner joins us in owning and building each edition. They become a vital part of each edition. “We’re all in this together,” says Donna.