Digital analytics to be crucial for ad integration

At the seminar on “OOH Transformation: Today’s Consumer Proximity, Tomorrow’s Behaviour” organised by Kinetic Worldwide (Thailand), top executives from leading out-of-home-media agencies brainstormed on ways to deal with new challenges in the near future in the wake of the rise of digital media. 

Pattaraphurit Rungjaturapat, online marketing director at VGI Global Media, part of BTS Group, said that with the changes in customer behaviour fuelled by the surge of online media, the key technologies to be closely watched were fifth-generation wireless Internet and performance-based OOH advertising services. 

His company has set its sights on being a performance out-of-home agency to capitalise on consumers’ multi-screen engagement. 

Data collection was very important. 

“Our Rabbit card is a key tool to engage Skytrain passengers through customer relationship management programmes. In the meantime, we use this card to collect customer data to gain customer insights,” he said. 

Chantana Arschariyawinyoo, general manager for airport, sales and marketing at JCDecaux Thailand, said that with connected devices, OOH would soon become a connector between brand and consumer. 

 

Prompt response 

As data generated by customers are playing an important role in communications, data utilisation and analytics are needed for a brand to promptly respond to customers at the right time. 

JCDecaux is working with telecom giants to empower its out-of-home media. Last year, it signed a 15-year deal with Vodafone to deploy small cells on its street-furniture assets in Germany, Britain, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal, Australia, Qatar, the Czech Republic, India, Turkey, Hungary and South Africa. 

The company has also joined with Chinese telecom giant Huawei to deploy small-cell base stations. 

Parin Lochanakosin, chief executive officer of Plan B Media, said he had witnessed more e-commerce businesses using OOH to publicise their brands and services as well as to draw engagement with consumers at their sites. 

This development has been seen largely in China.

“For Thailand, there is plenty of room to grow for out-of-home media, mainly driven by consumer behaviour changes and innovative technology in line with the impact from the Asean Economic Community starting [at the end of] this year,” he said. 

Outdoor, transit and in-store media represent just 10 per cent of total advertising spending here, while in developed countries it is more like 15-20 per cent, he said. 

Besides digitalisation, content and information are also very important, said Akalak Yimwilai, an executive of Bangkok Metro Network, the transit media agency for the MRT subway.

“But collecting data will become nothing if we cannot utilise and analyse them. 

“More important, strategic content creation and integration must be in line with the right context. These data will help advertisers to do re-targeting,” he said. 

Teeradet Dumrongbhalasitr, head of the Connect Media unit of Dunnhumby, said online media were playing a vital role. 

His company supports major retailer Tesco Lotus by using a mobile application called “iBeacon” to integrate in-store media to help navigate consumers to points of purchase. 

Tatchai Patipoksut, managing director of Aero Media Group, which manages digital screens, billboards and online media for Airports of Thailand, said the huge growth of passengers, expected to hit 120 million this year, has created opportunities for advertisers to use airport media. 

He is also applying a digital |media strategy with those airport media.