Bangkok reaps transit ad boom

<p>BANGKOK: Transit advertising is booming in Thailand, jumping by 82 </p><p>per cent in the first nine months as slumping budgets force advertisers </p><p>to look for more efficient alternatives. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>ACNielsen reported that an additional 163 million baht (US$3.7 </p><p>million) was spent on transit advertising in the first nine months, with </p><p>growth driven by the BTS, better known as the Skytrain. The service has </p><p>emerged as a popular buy due to the clear target market demographics it </p><p>is able to hand advertisers. Since its launch last year, the Skytrain </p><p>has become the transport of choice in traffic-choked Bangkok for locals </p><p>between 18-35 years, who can be categorised as A, B and C1 affluent </p><p>working people. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Because of falling budgets, advertisers are moving from mass media like </p><p>newspapers to transit advertising," said CIA Media Innovation managing </p><p>partner Ichaya Santitrakul. "It is more expensive but the exposure is </p><p>far greater and more targeted at Bangkok consumers." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>An estimated 250,000 people currently use the Skytrain daily, a figure </p><p>that has been boosted by a 50 per cent reduction in fares and special </p><p>ticket deals introduced early this year. Standard Chartered Bank set the </p><p>ball rolling, signing a 30 million baht deal for six months to cover the </p><p>sides of all 35 trains. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The BTS has been an exceptional area to do some advertising," said OMD </p><p>managing director Martin Dufty. OMD has found opportunity in spaces that </p><p>are not normally sold, such as the windows. It recently ran a campaign </p><p>using BTS windows for DBS Bank. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>