Ad agencies expect 3G boost

The full launch of third-generation mobile technology next year is expected to be a big boost for advertising agencies, particularly boutiques.
Warawut Kaennakham, co-president of the Bangkok Art Directors Association, or BAD, said last week that although advertisers and producers still rely mainly on television to communicate with the mass audience, in the last couple of years some of them have sought alternative media to engage directly with individuals. Social networks were on top of the list.
This is the result of the high penetration of Internet mobile users and advanced cellular networks, said Warawut, also vice president and executive creative director of Prakit Holdings.
Changes in consumer behaviour were also an influential factor as people spent more time on mobile phones and social networks – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and the Line chat engine.
Now ad agencies have many choices to approach potential consumers directly. Those increased options are also important for brand building.
“To cash in on this trend, boutique digital creative agencies have mushroomed tremendously in the past five years,” he said.
At the BAD awards last week, 30 of the 49 agencies that submitted their advertisements were boutiques. Among them, MONDAY scooped up 18 awards and ranked third at the event. It originated 63 of the total of 744 entries. Another boutique agency was CJ WORX.
A boutique agency is a small creative agency that offers highly personalised services for limited clients. In this country, such agencies mainly work on digital advertisements and develop promotional campaigns via social media, he said.

BRAND CONNECTIVITY

“If real 3G connectivity is put in place next year, people can be easily connected with their preferred brands,” said Kitiphan Palmoke, vice president and executive creative director at Prakit Holdings and co-president of BAD.
This would open up more opportunities for those boutique agencies and it could also lure newcomers into this segment. Global advertising chains might hire such agencies for tailor-made marketing campaigns.
The Asean Economic Community, which goes into effect by 2015, would also expand the horizons for local small creative agencies to broaden their client base in neighbouring countries, they added.