ANALYSIS: Advertising - AdSociety banks on China offline potential. Network will need to prove its value proposition first, reports Atifa Hargrave-Silk

<p>Pacific Century CyberWorks' online advertising network AdSociety </p><p>was recently granted a full advertising agency licence in China, </p><p>strengthening its ambition to move into offline services to reduce its </p><p>reliance on online advertising. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>While large, multinational agencies have operated in China for several </p><p>years and also have full agency licences, AdSociety is hoping to sell </p><p>services to the agencies themselves. It believes its restructuring will </p><p>allow it to grab a slice of China's US$10 billion advertising </p><p>market, which is tipped to hit an average annual growth of 13.8 per cent </p><p>in constant prices over the next three years, according to Zenith </p><p>Media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With its eye on this pie, AdSociety Daye, the company's joint-venture </p><p>agency in China, believes there is a place for it to become a "broker of </p><p>the brokers". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Patrick Jonathan Wong, chief executive officer, AdSociety, comments: </p><p>"China's accession into the World Trade Organisation and the 2008 </p><p>Beijing Olympics will add greater momentum and growth to China's ad </p><p>market. The positioning of the joint-venture is to operate full-scale </p><p>advertising service across all types of media platforms - similar to </p><p>Tom.com. The joint-venture will provide all traditional advertising </p><p>platforms, including TV, billboard, outdoor, print, radio and event </p><p>management." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>AdSociety is counting on earning 65 per cent of revenues from offline </p><p>advertising by the end of next year. As a media representative, it </p><p>expects to take 15 to 20 per cent as a commission from media owners. </p><p>Wong estimates this to be a market of between US$1.2 and $1.6 billion. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Antony Young, Zenith Media, chief executive officer, sees the entry of </p><p>an "international" player like AdSociety into media representation as an </p><p>interesting development. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Local brokers still dominate this part of the business, with many </p><p>advertisers and agencies buying through them. However, the </p><p>highly-fragmented nature of this part of the business will make the ride </p><p>a rough one for AdSociety. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Grey China chief executive officer and chairman, Viveca Chan, doubts if </p><p>an international or even a new player will enjoy any advantage. "There </p><p>is a narrowing market for brokers in China, especially new ones that do </p><p>not have established connections," Chan says. "Media buying needs media </p><p>clout and strong media relations. AdSociety is not an 'international' </p><p>player compared to the large agency networks. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"In any case, buying is very localised. You need to know each market </p><p>well, all the media etc. And it takes time to develop a network." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Both Chan and Young agree there is a need for more professional media </p><p>selling in China. Young says: "China media owners, while they have </p><p>become increasingly more sophisticated in the major markets, generally </p><p>still tend to operate with a monopoly viewpoint." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Although recent consolidation of media ownership into regional groups - </p><p>the setting up of the Shanghai Media & Entertainment Group last April, </p><p>for example - is gaining widespread momentum, he says the challenge will </p><p>be to convince established media owners to take on such partners. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>AdSociety believes its offer of an integrated platform will be a </p><p>compelling argument. Like Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka Shing's Tom.com </p><p>company, which extended its offerings to sports marketing, print </p><p>magazines and outdoor media, AdSociety is venturing far from its core </p><p>internet advertising business. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's about survival," says Wong, outlining the company's many </p><p>revenue-generating ideas. One is to use its overseas network to source </p><p>programmes for China's television stations, something that WPP's media </p><p>holding company is doing through a joint-venture with Hong Kong's Star </p><p>East Works. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"With the consolidation of China's TV stations, competition will stiffen </p><p>and better programme content quality will be expected," says Wong who </p><p>sees this as another revenue opportunity. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>While Young believes pricing will be critical as "PRC clients remain </p><p>highly price-sensitive", Chan says the value proposition will be the </p><p>key. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"There is a general need to increase standards, which goes back to the </p><p>training, quality of people etc. Agencies already have integrated </p><p>capabilities. But it is the value proposition that will win," says </p><p>Chan. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Can they offer a better rate, or cover areas others don't, such as in </p><p>the second or third tier cities. Will they be able to monitor as well as </p><p>do the buying? Of course every agency wants the best deal, rates, </p><p>quality of service and are willing to work with third parties to get </p><p>value for something such as buying direct, syndicated programmes. Being </p><p>just a broker is not enough." </p><p><BR><BR> </p>