Restructured Publicis One Thailand aims to exceed growth of advertising industry
PUBLICIS ONE Thailand targets revenue growth of at least 3 per cent this year, outpacing the advertising industry, partly because of a recent management reshuffle.
The media and communications firm said its revised business model that has been implemented since late last year would open more doors for its subsidiaries to lure more clients into its network.
“We now are combining the strengths of our four key units after the organisational restructuring. With the pooling of resources, we will be able to share knowledge. However, we have no plan to cut jobs,” Songkran Sethesompobe, chief executive of the Leo Burnett Group and Publicis One Thailand, said yesterday.
Brands under the Publicis One Thailand umbrella include Leo Burnett, Arc, Alpha 245, Publicis, Nurun, Saatchi & Saatchi, Razorfish, Starcom, MediaVest, and ZenithOptimedia.
The new way of management is expected to support business growth in the near future as each unit has its own strengths. For example, Leo Burnett Group Thailand, which yesterday celebrated its 50th anniversary in the Kingdom, is recognised as a leader in communication, corporate social responsibility and creative work. Publicis is an expert in dealing with international clients as well as those in the health and beauty industry.
Meanwhile, Saatchi & Saatchi Thailand is a working place for younger people and Starcom Mediavest is a specialist in media investment and management.
After the change, the 150 staff members at Leo Burnett had more opportunity to collaborate with the other 250 employees in the network, Songkran said. This will also help the group offer clients more holistic plans and creative solutions.
The CEO said the group expected revenue to surpass the ad industry’s growth this year, estimating about 3-5 per cent.
“Our performance at Leo Burnett in the first quarter was right on track. In the current quarter, my company has received a number of new assignments from clients. This reflected that brands and companies are confident enough to spend money on advertising, particularly the telecommunications, information technology and automotive industries,” he said.
This year, Leo Burnett is welcoming new big-name clients Total Access Communication (DTAC) and Ovaltine. Currently the firm manages about 40 clients.
Songkran acknowledged that the mushrooming of digital agencies to cash in on the surge of online media usage was a threat to his company. But he believes that with the international expertise in its network and its holistic approach to communication, it can create more value for its clients than those rival agencies.
